Another one of Us(Rewritten)
by SMM040502
Summary: This fanfic changes the events of the Last of Us by adding a new character into the mix who follows Joel and Ellie on their journey. How will this new character affect the story? Complete
1. Chapter 1:Robert

So I wrote this because after looking back at the original there was a quite a few mistakes and things that should've been so obvious to add in and it bugged me so much that I had to rewrite it but it's largely the same with a bit more detail, more original dialogue for Jake, and some more character development for him.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1 Robert

Jake's POV

It's been a pretty easy day so far Tess went to go handle the deal without us so I'm getting some extra sleep I'm pretty sure Joel is doing the same, being a smuggler in the zone isn't too hard once you learn the ins and outs of it, though it can get messy if you're squeamish this probably isn't the best kind of world for you to live in so deal with. After fourteen years of living in this world and five being a psychotic murder you get used to it.

At least today is the one day I can take it easy.

Bang!

Bang!

"Joel answer the damn door", I said not bothered enough to see who it is myself and I didn't want to leave the warm comfort of my bed, I waited a good thirty seconds for a response from Joel but nothing.

Bang!

"Calm down I'm coming", I said as a got out of bed and went toward the door but before I could get to it Joel opened it "Could've responded to me at least", I thought, I saw Tess standing in the doorway o me and Joel moved out of the way we all then walked back into a room that resembled a kitchen but wasn't Tess then poured herself a drink"Want some?", Tess asked Joel.

"No I don't want some", Joel replied and Tess looked at me.

"You're too young Jake".

"I didn't ask", I shot back at her.

"So how'd the morning go for you two?".

"The usual", I replied, not really caring for the conversation that much.

"Well I got news", Tess said.

"Where were you Tess?", Joel said cutting her off.

"West End district" she replied and the took a sip of her drink "Hey we had a drop to make".

"We", Joel responded and walked up to Tess with a towel.

"Yeah well you wanted to be left alone remember", Joel then passed her the towel.

"You could've at least took him with you"Joel said pointing at me.

"He's your grand-nephew not mine".

"That just makes me feel old".

"Anyway the deal went of fine got enough ration cards for a few months", Tess explained.

"What's with the blood?", I asked.

"Two asshole got the jump on me, but they don't matter what matters is Robert sent them", Tess explained.

"Our Robert?", Joel asked.

"He knows we're after him", Tess replied.

"Motherfucker", I remarked that earned a look from the two of them "What do you still expect me to watch my language?"

"He figures he's gonna get us first".

"That son of bitch is smart", Joel said as he put the towel away.

"No, he's not smart enough".

"That the understatement of the century", I said as as I looked away from the knives

"I know where he's hiding", Tess said.

"Like hell you do", Joel said sarcastically.

"Old warehouse in Area 5 can't say for how long though", Tess replied Joel then walked up to her.

"Well I'm ready now. Yeah?".

"Then let's go", Tess then got her bag.

"Get of your ass Jake," Joel said while reaching for his bag.

"With pleasure," I replied.

"You okay with this?" Tess asked Joel.

"He can look after himself", Joel replied I then got my back and we walked outside into"Checkpoints still open, only a few hours till the curfew,"Joel said when he got outside.

"We better hurry up then", Tess said "Don't dilly dally", she said looking at me.

"Yes ma'am", I replied we then began navigating the city.

"Attention. Citizens are required to carry current ID at all times. Compliance with all city personnel is mandatory." a woman announced.

"Look at that ration line hasn't opened yet. Must be running low again", Tess said.

"Great", I replied we moved on and saw three people being checked for infection two died one was left "Don't think about it," I thought to myself we kept to the checkpoint but fireflies attacked and stopped us from advancing so we ran to a near by building.

"Fuck there goes the easy route, here patch yourself up", Tess then handed the two of us two health kits "They're gonna close all the checkpoints. We're gonna have to go around the outside.", Tess said as she advanced through the building.

"Outside the wall?" Joel asked.

"Or we could let Robert go", Tess replied.

"Cute" Joel remarked.

"I'm not a fan of cute things so let's just go already", I said. We then entered Joel and Tess's smuggling tunnel I've only been in here once and I hate the smell.

"Jake catch", Joel said as he threw me some ammo for my pistol.

"You guys sure it's safe to keep you stuff here?", I asked.

"We're sure", Tess responded we then exited the tunnel into to what looked like an abandoned restaurant after that we got outside.

"Be careful", Joel said.

"When am I not?", Tess asked in response.

"That a trick question?", Joel said but got no response from either of us "Ain't been out here in awhile".

"It's like we're on a date".

"Well I am the romantic type", Joel replied and I was internally throwing up.

"You got your ways".

"You two realise I'm still here", I said.

"You want to join us?", Tess asked in a condescending voice

"Don't make me sick", I said as we approached a building but the ladder we needed to get inside was missing.

"Where's the ladder?".

"It's gotta be around here somewhere", Joel said and went to look for it "Got it".

"Great bring it over", Tess said and then Joel brought the ladder and placed it down.

"Ladies first", Joel said motioning Tess to climb the ladder.

"Lady, you must be thinking of someone else", Tess replied.

"No comment", I said as I passed Joel.

"Hold up there's spores up ahead", Tess said and we all got out our gas masks

"The ceilings falling apart be careful, this way", Joel said we then saw someone being crush by a metal draw.

"Help my mask broke don't leave me to turn", he said as he grabbed our feet.

"I'll take care of it", I said I kneeled down next to him and got my knife out "Say hi to someone named Marry will ya", I then stabbed him right in the throat.

"Poor bastard", Tess said. We then took out some runners while trying to get through.

"Let's get a move on", Joel said. Once again we advanced fine and entered building with a little boy waiting on the other side Tess gave him a ration card and told him to make sure the coast is clear after he gave us the go ahead we entered a shady market like area everyone looked like they wanted us dead but they were awfully friendly to Tess Joel was then stopped by a man but when Tess said it was fine they let him go "Who's that?", Joel asked.

"An old headache don't ask", Tess replied. Tess then got some info off of some guy about where Robert is in exchange for some Ration were then confronted by three men who told us to turn around Tess and one of the men argued for a minute which resulted in his brains being blown out we didn't have much trouble it was 3 against 2 and it seemed they were inexperienced once again we found more of Robert's goon blocking us and we over heard them say that Robert knows we're coming once again no problem taking them out. After about 4 waves of guards we got to Robert's office when we opened the door he started shooting.

"We just wanna talk Robert", Tess said.

"We ain't got fucking nothing to talk about", Robert yelled back.

"Put the gun down".

"Yeah go fuck yourself", after he said that he ran out of ammo and ran away.

"He's running let's go", Tess said and we went after him, he then cornered himself by running towards a metal gate which he couldn't open."Hello Robert".

"Tess, Joel no hard feelings", Robert said.

"Sure ignore the kid with a gun and five knives strapped to his belt", I thought.

"None at all", Tess said as she picked up a pipe

"Alright", he said and then made a run for it but got tripped by the pipe Tess swung at him"Ah goddamnit!"".

"We missed you", Tess said as she dropped the pipe.

"Look whatever it is you heard it ain't true, okay? I just wanna say".

"The guns", Tess cut him off "You wanna tell us where the guns are?".

"Yeah sure but it's complicated. alright? Look Alright just hear me out on this I gotta", but Joel stopped him from finishing by stepping on his face "Fuck." Joel then held him to the floor "Ah stop, stop, stop", I was just leaning on a wall laughing.

"Quit your squirmin", Tess said and kneeled down"You were saying".

"I sold em".

"Excuse me?" Tess as she looked at Joel.

"I didn't have much of a choice I owed someone".

"You owed us, I'd say you bet on the wrong horse".

"I just need more time gimme a week".

"You know, I might've done that if you hadn't tried to fucking kill has our guns?".

"I can't", but before he could finish Joel broke arm "Fuck".

"Who has our guns?".

"It's the fireflies. I owed the fireflies".

"Fuck", I said.

"What?".

"Look they're basically all dead. We can just go in there and just finish em all of we get the guns. Whadaya say? C'mon . fuck those fireflies. Let's go get em".

"That is stupid idea, Jake he's all yours" Tess said and I walked over to Robert.

"Let's see now how can I make this guy suffer," I thought to my self, I needed some kind of entertainment and in this world there wasn't much, I couldn't think of any thing "I'm feeling generous so I'll give you the easy way out", I said and shot him in the back of the head.

"So now what?", Joel asked.

"We get our merchandise back", Tess responded.

"How?".

"I don't know. We explain it to them. Look let's just go find a firefly".

"You won't have to look very far", a voice said from around the corner and I pointed in the direction of the voice.

"Put the gun down Jake it's queen firefly", Joel said and I listened.

"Why are you here", she said.

"Business", Tess replied "You aren't looking so hot", Tess stated and then I noticed the wound in the side of her stomach with an large amount of blood coming from it

"Where's Robert?", Me and Tess then stepped away from Robert "I needed him alive".

"The guns he gave weren't his to sell I want them back".

"Doesn't work like that Tess".

"The hell it doesn't".

"I paid for those guns. You want them back? You're gonna have to earn them".

"How many cards we talking about?".

"I don't give a damn about ration cards. I need something smuggled out of the city. You do that I'll give the guns back then some".

"How do we know you got em?", Joel asked "Way I hear it military's been wiping you guys out".

"You're right about that. I'll show you the weapons", we then heard someone tell another person to search the area I assumed it was the military"I gotta move. What's it gonna be?".

"I wanna see those gun", Tess replied.

"Follow me", she said and we then ran away.


	2. Chapter 2:Cargo

Chapter 2: cargo

Jake's POV

We arrived at the fireflies place with little trouble, well Joel, Tess and I did, the firefly was a wreck but we made. As soon as we got inside she collapsed on the floor.

"Whoa. Come on now get on up," Joel said as he reached to help the firefly up and I noticed a girl brandishing a knife approaching, common sense kicked in and stepped in between Joel and her.

"Get the fuck away from her," the girl said as she raised her switchblade but I got her by the wrist and glared at her and she froze.

"Calm the hell down, we're with her," I snarled at the brat.

"Let her go," the injured firefly instructed and I removed my grip.

"You're recruitin' kind of young, aren't ya?" Joel questioned.

"You're one to talk," she replied obviously talking about me "She's not one of mine anyway," she added as she struggled to her feet. The girl was brought from her trance and went over to the firefly.

"Oh shit. What happened?" the girl asked in concern.

"Don't worry this is fixable," the firefly replied even though her chances of living looked slim. "I got us help. But I can't come with you."

"Well then I'm staying."

"Ellie we won't get another shot at this."

"Hey, we're smuggling her?" Joel asked pointing at our new found cargo.

"What a pain," I stated, smuggling items was easy enough but people was just annoying.

"Fuck you too."

"There's a crew of fireflies that will meet you at the capitol building," Marlene explained.

"That's not exactly close,' Tess interjected.

"Damn right it ain't," I added.

"You're capable. Hand her off come back her, weapons are all yours. Double what Robert sold me."

"Speaking of which where are they?"

"Back in our camp," she said and Tess turned back to Joel and I, Joel shook his head while crossing his arms and I just scoffed. Does she really think we're that stupid.

"We're not smuggling shit until I see them."

"You can come with me, verify the weapons and I can get patched up. But she's not crossing to that part of town. Joel and the kid can watch over her."

"Whoa whoa I don't think that's the best idea-"

"Bullshit! I'm not going with him," the two spoke over each other.

"Ellie," the firefly said and she piped down.

"How do you know them?"

"I was close with his brother Tommy. He said if I were ever in a jam I could rely on him."

"Was that before or after he left your little militia group?" Joel asked in a condescending tone.

"He left you too. He was a good man."

"Look just take her to the north tunnel and wait for me there," Tess told Joel and I.

"Jesus christ."

"She's just cargo Joel."

"Can I head to the camp instead? Baby sitting is the last thing I had in mind today," I asked trying to get my ass out of the shitty work.

"I heard that bastard," the redhead shouted at me.

"Like you always say Jake, people smuggles are harder than item smuggles, so the more help Joel gets the better."

"Damn it," I cursed in my head "Don't get shot brat," I told the girl and she got me a glare.

"Marlene."

"No more talking. You'll be fine. Now go with them," Marlene instructed.

"Don't take long," Joel told Tess "And you stay close," he told the girl "Watch the rear," he ordered and I complied as usual.

Ellie's POV

So here I am in this north tunnel with the two smugglers, Joel and Jake and I already didn't like this. Joel, the older one, had black greying hair hazel eyes and wore a faded brown shirt and jeans. Jake, the one I hate, had jet black hair that fell over his forehead on the right side and these weird blood red eyes. His face had deep tear troughs and some dirt on it but other than that there was nothing on it. He wore a black zip up hoodie and black t-shirt with a red bird on it that was starting to fad, both of these also had blood stains on them. Aside from that he wore some torn jeans and a brown back pack.

"This tunnel. You use it to smuggle things?" the silence was starting to kill me so i decide to start a conversation even if it will be boring as well and I hate one of them.

"Yep," Joel replied simply.

"Illegal things?"

"Sometimes."

"Most of the time," Jake added.

"Ever smuggle a kid before?"

"No that's a first."

"So you didn't smuggle freaky eyes over there?"

"Nope," Joel said "So what's the deal with you and Marlene?"

"I don't know. She's my friend. I guess."

"Your friend, huh? You're friends with the leader of the fireflies. What're you, like twelve?"

"She knew my mum, and she's been looking after me. And I'm fourteen, not that that has anything to do with anything," I said and Joel shot a look back at Jake.

"Hands to yourself kid."

"The thought had not crossed my mind Joel," Jake replied.

"Aw gross, not even if he was the last boy on earth," I remarked at the horrible idea Joel suggested.

"Glad to see the feeling is mutual," Jake said.

"So where are your parents?" Joel asked.

"Where are anyone's parents? They've been gone a long, long time."

"Join the club cargo."

"So instead of staying in school, you just decide to run off and join the fireflies, is that it?"

"And like becoming a smuggler is much better. Anyway I'm not supposed to tell you why you're smuggling me if that's what you're getting at."

"You wanna know the best part bout my job. I ain't gotta know why. Be honest with you I could give two shits about what you're up to."

"Well great."

"Good," I said ending the conversation, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

"This is it," Joel said opening a door to house and then closed it behind the two of us. Jake leaned on a wall in the room with one foot with his eyes close and Joel went up to a couch and lied down on it, while I awkwardly stood there waiting to be told what to do.

"What are doing?"

"Killing time."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"Freaky eyes, as you call him, will keep you occupied," Joel said and I turned back to Jake who opened his eyes and glared at Joel but Joel couldn't see it. Jake then motioned me to follow him and as I walked away I noticed a broken watch on Joel's wrist.

"Your watch is broken," I said and Joel grunted immediately Jake froze and dragged me away. "What the hell's your problem?"

"The watch, don't talk about, look at it think about it. Just imagine it doesn't exist," Jake snapped at me.

"Why it's just a stupid watch?"

"I'm tryna keep the can of worms closed here. For your own sake the watch doesn't exist," Jake clarified one more time and then let out a sigh "Bed over there," Jake stated as he pointed into another room "Use it if you will."

"I'm good," I replied.

"You'll need your energy for later. I would recommend you rest but it's your call," Jake said then went to sit on an arm chair, I then got on a similar arm chair and positioned myself so I could see out the window and Jake began sharpening knives.

"You go out there often?"

"Yeah."

"What's it like?"

"Exactly what it looks like."

"Well you're pretty lame aren't you," I commented but he said nothing.

"So how old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"How long you live here?"

"Since I was nine."

"Have you been smuggling since then?"

"No only after I became twelve."

"How'd you meet Joel?"

"Distant relative, only one I could go to."

"So what's the story with your pa-"

"Dead," he cut off knowing what the questions was.

"What do you do for fun?"

"Nothing really."

"Seriously?"

"I guess I read for fun."

"Like what?"

"Whatever I can find."

"Do you have any friends?"

"No,'" he replied and he was starting to annoy me, only giving me one word or one sentence replies.

"Aren't going to return the question?"

"I honestly don't give a fuck," he replied and I sighed.

"You could at least try to be nice and have a conversation. I'm getting kinda bored here."

"I'm not getting paid to entertain you. Blame the firefly for not including that in the terms of the job."

"Ugh you're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"

"Likewise," he replied not even batting me an eye while I glared at him. "Glare all you want, it won't change anything."

"Don't you get bored?"

"Not really."

"Oh come on gimme something," I complained at him he looked up for a moment and hurled the knife he was holding so it lodged itself in the armchair I was sitting in. "Holy shit! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"There entertain yourself with that."

"And how the hell am I supposed to do that?" I asked in confusion, I mean it's a fucking knife. Jake then brought out another knife and threw it across the room so that in landed dead center in a wooden target.

"Use your head a bit and don't always expect an immediate answer," he said and now he was really annoying me. But I had nothing better to do so I took up his idea. I lined myself up with the wooden target and threw the knife. It barely landed on the target in the bottom right corner.

"Have any more?" I asked and he pointed to a wooden table that had a set of the same knives. I tried again this time it hit the bottom left corner. This continued until the bottom of the target was littered with knives. "Ugh my god, what the hell is this?" I complained out loud, this was so much harder then brick or bottle chucking. "How do you do this?"

"I said earlier didn't I. Use your head a bit and don't always expect an immediate answer," he replied which annoyed the fuck out of me.

"Oh come on, why are you such an asshole?" I continued the complain at him but he just shrugged his shoulders "At least show me how to do it?" I asked and he stopped sharpening his knife and without getting up from his seat he aimed and threw the knife landing right next to the previous one.

"There, happy," Jake said and pulled out another knife and began sharpening it. I attempted again and a similar result occurred.

"Ugh, I give up," I said and went back to my seat and starred outside.

Night had fallen on Boston and rain was coming down as well. Jake and I hadn't said a word since I had given up with the knife throwing, so I was left to stare through the window. Just then Joel shifted on the couch and I turn back to see his eyes now open. "You mumble in your sleep," I stated "I hate bad dreams."

"Yeah, me too," Joel replied and put his hand to his head. He then went up to where I sat.

"You know, I've never been this close. To the outside," I said then Joel then walked away to turn on a light "Look how dark it is. Can't be any worse out there? Can it?" I asked getting out of my seat.

"It most definitely can naive little fuck," Jake added.

"What on earth do the fireflies want with you?" Joel asked.

"Hey," Tess said as she walked into the house distracting Joel from the question he asked, saving me from answering. "Sorry it took so long. Soldiers fucking everywhere."

"How's Marlene?"

"She'll make it," Tess replied and walked over to Joel "I saw the merchandise. It's a lot. You wanna do this?"

"Yeah," Joel replied simply and they moved on.

"Come on cargo," Jake said as he walked past me.

"Don't you think it's a bit weird they're having us do their smuggling for them?" Joel asked.

"Marlene wanted to it herself. We weren't their first choice, or the second for that matter. She's lost a lot of men. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Let's just hope there's someone alive to pay us."

"Someone will be around," Tess said and then we moved on to an elevator of sorts.

"Who's waiting for us at the drop off?"

"She said that there's some fireflies that have traveled all the way from another city. Girl must be important. What is the deal with you? You some big-wig's daughter or something?"

"Something like that," I replied avoiding the real reason "How long this all gonna take?"

"If everything goes as planned, we should get you to them in a few hours. Ellie once we get out there I need you to follow our lead and stay close

"Yeah of course."

"Jake."

"Watch the rear I know."


	3. Chapter 3:Captiol Building

Chapter 3 The Capitol Building

Jake POV

"This rain ain't gonna do us much good", Joel said as we trudged through the damp terrain.

"Holy shit I'm actually outside", Ellie said.

"Congratulations", I said in a sarcastic tone and she just gave me a glare in response we then went through what looked like a back of a truck once on the other side Joel was hit straight in the head with a rifle by a soldier she then pointed the gun at us.

"Don't do anything stupid", the female soldier said we then got out the truck "Turn around on your knees", we did as she said "Scan em I'll call em in", she said to another soldier.

"Alright", the second soldier replied I could tell he was a male from his voice "Put you hands on your head".

"This is Ramirez at sector twelve requesting pick up for four stragglers", the female soldier said when he scanned Tess she started talking to the soldier.

"Look the other way we can make this worth your while", Tess said.

"Shut up," the soldier replied "I'm getting tired of this 's the ETA?".

"Couple minutes", the female replied, when the male got to Ellie she started whispering.

"Fuck this is bad", I thought.

"Oh, man. Oh, man", she whispered and reached for her pocket "Sorry", she said as she stabbed the male in the leg Joel then tackled the male and Tess shot the female, Joel then shot the male soldier in the head, I then picked up the scanner read it and pointed my gun at the girl.

"Joel check this out", I said as I threw the scanner to Joel, the scanner read infected.

"Jesus Christ. Marlene set us up. Why the hell are we smuggling an infected girl", Joel said as he looked at Ellie.

"I'm not infected",It said.

"Bullshit", I said.

"So this is lying", Joel said as he threw the scanner at it.

"I can explain".

"Fast", I said

"Look at this", she said as she rolled up her sleeve.

"I don't care how you got infected", Joel said as then turned away.

"It's three weeks old", It said.

"Could it be? No that's crazy talk Jake", I thought to myself with my pistol still trained on her.

"Everyone turns within 2 days so you stop bullshitting", Tess said.

"It's three weeks I swear. Why would she set you up?", It said.

"I ain't buying it", Joel said as he looked into the distance "oh shit RUN!", Joel yelled I then pulled it of it's feet and we jumped into a trench.

"Follow me quickly", Tess said we were then surrounded by military looking for us with their flashlight we then hid behind some cover "Alright when I give the signal we run," Tess said and waited for when we could go the the next bit of cover without being spotted "Now run," Tess and we took a short sprint to place we could get cover "Stay away from those lights. Ellie, it's gonna be another sprint. You ready?".

"Sure. Yeah", It replied.

"Just stay back. Stay down don't let em see you", Joel said.

"Come on kid. Follow Joel.", Tess said

"We can get through here" Joel said as he approached a garage door "Jake help me with this", I then walked up to the door we then got through the door and on the other side.

"Everybody get down", Tess said. We managed to get through the patrol and in to a small tunnel that led into a room made of all metal "Yeah this looks right".

"Stay close", Joel said.

"It", I added infected did't need names,genders or be referred to as humans as far as I was concerned, and in my eyes she was a runner already. Why the fuck are we even smuggling her she's dead.

"Excuse me", It said.

"Excuse It".

"Knock it off Jake", Tess said

"Well at least we're out of the rain", Joel said like he didn't hear the conversation between me and It. We managed to get past the patrol and it sat on a rock, Tess then walked up to her.

"What's the plan? Let's say we deliver you to the fireflies, What then?", Tess asked.

"Deliver it", I said.

"Ignore him", Tess said to Ellie, nice to see who's side she's on.

"Marlene said that they have their own little quarantine zone, with doctors there still trying to find a cure", It explained.

"Yeah we've heard that before", Joel said.

"And whatever happened to me is the key to finding a vaccine", It explained.

"Oh Jesus", Joel remarked.

"It's what she said".

"Oh I'm sure she did".

"Oh fuck you man I didn't ask for this", that got my attention.

"Then why are you letting us smuggle you?" I asked.

"So I can find a cure", It replied and I scoffed in response

"Tess what the hell are we doing here?", Joel asked

"What if it's true", Tess responded simply.

"I can't believe-".

"What if Joel", Tess cut him off "We've come this far let's just finish it".

"Do I need to remind you what is out there", Joel said as he pointed to the distance.

"I get it", Tess said and walked off followed by it leaving me and Joel but I soon followed.

"This way", Tess said "If we cut through downtown, we can hit the capitol building by sunrise".

"We hope", Joel said.

"Holy moley. I guess this is what these building look like up close. They're so damn big", It said and I let a quiet chuckle.

"That's what she said", I remarked.

"What?", It said.

"Now's not the time Jake", Tess said to me with a glare.

"Does it have selective hearing or some shit it's like whatever I say she doesn't listen", I said.

"I wouldn't want to hear anything you said anyway," It replied but I didn't care if It wasn't part of our job she'd blood and bullet holes by now "So what happened here?", It asked.

"They bombed the hell out of the surrounding areas to the quarantine zones, hoping to kill as much of the infected as possible. It worked for a little while", Tess explained.

"Ah what the hell was that?", It asked.

"Tess you hear that?", Joel asked.

"Yeah sounded pretty far away though", Tess replied.

"Are we safe?", It asked.

"You're never safe in this world", I said.

Ellie's POV

"You're never safe in this world", those words kept playing in my head over and over, this made me want to find a cure even more no one else would have to suffer anymore.

"Damn that's quite a drop", I said.

"There's the capitol building", Joel said.

"Yeah we need to get around this mess", Tess replied.

"This is the downtown area", I asked.

"It was. Now it's a giant wasteland", Tess explained, after that explanation we entered a building with a guy covered in blood "He's been ripped apart. Body's pretty fresh".

"Yeah", Joel replied.

"Is that bad?"I asked.

"Could be. Could mean that your kind is close", Jake said.

"My kind?", I asked.

"Infected", he replied.

"I'm not infected", I said and he just scoffed.

"Goddamnit. Clicker", Joel said.

"Geez.. What's wrong with it's face?", I asked.

"That's what years of infection will do to you", Tess explained Joel then grabbed it to move it from the doorway.

"Hope you're looking forward to your transformation", Jake said but I ignored him

"So what they're blind?", I asked.

"Sort of. They see using sound.", Tess said.

"Like bats".

"Like bats. If you hear one clicking you gotta hide. That's how they spot you".

"Otherwise known as echolocation", Jake said.

"Jake help me out", Joel said as he pointed at a door Jake then walked over to it with three pushes it was open and something came out and attacked Joel when we walked through but Jake stabbed it right in the head with a knife "Nice to see he's good for something", I thought to myself.

"You alright", I asked Joel.

It's nothing", Joel replied.

"Let's just for supplies", Tess said.

"Oh that was intense", I said.

"Pfft I've been doing that since I was nine", Jake said.

"Sure", I said sarcastically.

"C'mon let's get the hell outta here", Joel said "Alright check if the path is clear Tess".

"Alright path is clear come on Ellie", she then pulled me up to a higher area "Jake", then the annoying boy was pulled up followed by Joel "Shit", Tess said.

"Clickers?", I responded Tess then pulled us behind some cover it then came toward the cover but couldn't see us Joel and Tess used bottles and bricks to distract it and we made are way over some scaffolding.

"I think that's it. Ellie you okay?" Tess asked.

"Other than shitting my pants… I'm fine", I replied

"Ahh this is crazy", Tess said as she went outside and onto a platform next to the building "Just don't look down".

"Wha-? Are you serious?" I asked extremely scared of the platform falling.

We were progressing through the building fine and but the space was starting to get tighter and tighter "You know I was thinkin… after we get back, we can take it easy for a little while bet you'd love that Jake", Tess said.

"Yeah", Jake replied.

"You wanna take it easy?", Joel asked.

"Hey you're the one always going on about layin low".

"And you always brushed me off".

"Well I won't this time".

"I'd like to see that", Jake said I was wondering or not if they were a family I knew Joel and Jake were related but what about Tess they all seem really close so maybe, I wish I could be part of something like that. We then made it out the building.

"Holy shit. We actually made it", I said.

"Everyone okay?", Joel asked.

"Yes. Let's move", Tess replied.

"You guys are pretty good at this stuff", I said.

"It's called luck and it's gonna run out", Joel said. We started heading for the capitol building again we entered a museum and Tess started asking questions about how I got bitten and what happened after then we got separated from Joel by some wooden beams and then we got attacked by some infected Jake surprisingly saved me from a few I say surprisingly because he seems to hate me we then joined back up with Joel and got to the roof of the museum from there we could clearly see the building we got a plank and crossed the roofs.

"Is that everything you hoped for?", Joel asked me.

"Jury's still out but man… you can't deny that view", I replied.

"C'mon. This way" Tess said I then followed leaving Joel behind and he started looking at his watch "Hey pick it up", Joel then started walking.

"You remembering her?", Jake asked Joel.

"Yeah", Joel replied.

"What was she like?".

"Everything in the world to me, as of recent you've started to remind me of her, but you wouldn't know you never met her".

"Hey pick it up", Tess called out then we walked towards her "Look we're almost done stay focused", she said.

"Yes ma'am", Joel replied

"Alright it's right around the corner", Tess said.

"keep moving kid", so went through a small alleyway and then we could see the building "Home stretch".

"Um.. just so it's out there. I can't swim", I said as we approached a body of water.

"Doggy paddle or piggy back your choice", Jake said.

"What?", I said, the boy then looked at me with his blood red eyes and a murder face that was somewhat scary those eyes were strange from what I knew red was not a natural color, but it didn't really matter what he looked like, they're dropping me off.

"It look like it's shallow on the right side follow me", Tess said.

"I'm glad Marlene hired you guys", I said.

"What do you mean?".

"I know you guys are getting paid but- I'm trying to say thanks".

"Yeah sure thing".

"You too Jake", I added but he scoffed and looked away we then got up to the door and Joel opened it.


	4. Chapter 4:Gone

Chapter 4 Gone

Jake's POV

We open the door to see fireflies covered in blood across the floor Tess run up to each of them and searched them "No, no, no", Tess said with panic in her voice.

"What happens now?", It asked Joel but he didn't reply and walked towards Tess

"What are you doing Tess?", Joel asked.

"Oh god. Maybe the ah, maybe they had a map or something to tell us where they were going", Tess replied and the only thing I could think of is please don't let us take it to wherever the fuck the fireflies are.

"How far are we going to take this?".

"As far as it needs to go. Where is this lab of theres?", Tess asked It.

"She never said. She only mentioned it was someplace out west", It replied.

"What are we doing here? This is not us", Joel said.

"What do you know about us?", Tess said standing up " About me?".

" I know you are smarter than this".

"Really. Guess what we're shitty people Joel. And it's been that way for a long time".

"No, we are survivors".

"This is our chance-".

"It is over Tess", Joel said interrupting Tess "Now we tried let's just go home".

"I'm not.. I'm not going anywhere. This is my last stop".

"What?".

"Our luck had to run out sooner or later".

"What do-", Joel said as he grabbed Tess's shoulder.

"No don't", Tess said cutting off Joel and shoving him away "Touch me".

"Holy shit", It said "She's infected", that got my attention.

"Joel", Tess said.

"Let me see it", Joel said.

"Tess", I said as I shed a tear.

"I didn't mean for this-", Tess said.

"Show it to me", Joel said interrupting her sentence, Tess then pulled her collar back and a red bite mark was visible Tess "Oh christ".

"No, why", I thought since I couldn't get any words out.

"Oops right", Tess said as she backed away she then walked up to It "Give me your arm", she then took hold of it's arm and rolled up it sleeve "This was three weeks", she said as she pulled it by the arm towards Joel "I was bitten an hour ago and it's already worse. This is fucking real Joel. You have got to get this girl to Tommy's. He used to run with this 'll know where to go", she then let go of It and It backed away.

"No,no,no, that was your crusade I ain't doing that", Joel replied.

"Yes you are. Look there's enough here that you have to feel some sort of obligation to me, so you get her to Tommy's".

"Tess", I said as I walked up to her with a tear rolling down my cheek she then kneeled down to my height.

"Jake I'm sorry I didn't mean for this to happen, but please get her to Tommy's", I couldn't get any words so I just nodded while tears fell down my cheek she put her hand on my head and ruffled my black hair.

"Say hi to Marry and the others", I said.

"Of course I will. Ellie come here I need to talk to you", I then moved away Tess started whispering in It's ears "You understand", and it just nodded in response Tess then turned to the window and saw the military "Shit. They're here".

"Damnit", Joel responded.

"I can buy you some time, but you have to run".

"What you want us to just leave you here?", It said

"Yes", Tess replied that was the only answer I needed and started dragging it away by her bag.

"Do what she says", I told it.

"There's no way you can be okay with this", It said as It moved away so that she could get out of my grip.

"You're right but this is her last wish and I'm fulfilling it. Come on Joel", he did as I said and walked away and I wiped the tears from my face.

"Thank you Jake", Tess said we all then left the room in search of another exit.

"What the fuck? I can't believe we did that.", It said.

"Shut up", I responded.

"We just left her to die".

"Shut up or I'll sew your lips together you little shit", I threatened as I pinned her against a wall I then followed Joel to the balcony above the room Tess was I could see her dead body "Your sacrifice won't be wasted", I thought after that we found a hallway that was full of soldiers and we managed with minimal trouble and we then exited and entered a subway but a military truck opened fire at us the place was full of spores and soldiers alike I noticed that she didn't have gas mask I asked and she said she wasn't lying about being immune this was my first time in a subway and it wasn't pleasant I just wanted to get out but then we found the way out had been flooded.

"Hey uh I can't swim", It said.

"Great", I remarked.

"I'll think of something you two stay there".

"So how you doing?", It asked

"Don't talk to me, It", I replied.

"Why do you call me that?", It asked I didn't reply I just pulled out a needle with string attached to it "Okay I'm sorry, I'll shut up", I put the needle away and It walked away only to slip and fall into the water without thinking I jumped in trying to get her out after I got It out It started clinging to me I presumed it was was because I saved It's life.

"Let go", I said.

"No", it responded so I pulled her off. Joel then returned with a wooden pallet.

"Get on", he said.

"No way it will break", it replied so I just pushed her on.

"Thanks a lot asshole I could've drowned", It said but I ignored.

"Jake help me with this", Joel said so I got in the water to help push the pallet we then got her to the other side where she got a ladder so we could get up "Alright let's get out of here", we then climbed some stairs to the exit and Joel found a tire to sit on.

"Hey look about Tess I um where do I start", It said.

"Heres how this thing is gonna play out. You don't bring up Tess ever. Let's just keep our histories to ourselves. Don't tell anybody about your condition. They'll either think you're crazy or try to kill you", Joel explained "Lastly you do what I say when I say. Clear".

"Sure", It replied.

"Repeat it".

"Whatever you say goes".

"Good. Now there's a town a few mile north of here there's a fella that owes me some favours. Good chance he could get us a car", Joel explained.

"You mean Bill?", I asked Joel nodded in response "Great, thanks for making me go there", I said under my breath.

"There a problem with going to Bill's?", Joel asked.

"You'll find out".


	5. Chapter 5:Bill

Author's note: Song used in this chapter is Summer ashes.

Ellie's POV

We arrived at the outskirts of Bill's town which was near a forest Joel said we can cut through there for a shortcut what Tess whispered to me was going through my head a lot I still remember "Jake's a weird boy don't bring me up in front of him or he'll probably kill you but he's very lonely I know I said he needs to look after you but you also need to look after him and don't let him get to you so just be careful around him", now two things about this confused me why she only talked about Jake? And why she wants me to look after him and not Joel? I then remembered when he pinned me against the wall and threatened to sew my lips to together I may not of looked it but I was terrified by him, his eyes seemed to pierce my soul, weird kid was right. But I didn't have the time right now to dwell on those thoughts. When we entered the forest I was overwhelmed by how beautiful it looked it's never been through the woods and so this looked amazing to me "Man", I said.

"What?", Joel asked.

"It's just I've never seen anything like it", I replied.

"What have you been doing with your life?", Jake asked but I didn't reply.

"Let's just go", Joel said.

"Why don't you just take me back to Marlene?", I asked.

"If she was up to the task, why'd she drop you off on us?", Joel replied

"What if she's better?".

"Kid, I don't mean to upset you, but your friends chances of survival were't too high to begin with".

"She's a lot tougher than you think".

"How do you know Tess didn't lie about her being alive or that she even made after that point", Jake said, I didn't answer. We then arrived a the towns gate and tried to open but it was locked.

"Let's find a way around", Joel said and started looking for a way inside.

"Whoa… Fireflies. I mean real fireflies", I said as I stood next to them.

"Yeah I see em", Joel replied.

"C'mon mother nature", Jake said. Joel then found a plank and brought it onto the roof of one building to cross over to a building inside town will we were on it we saw a cloud of smoke a cloud of smoke from a building.

"Is that you Bill?", Joel asked.

"Where do you usually meet him?

"Different places".

"You've never been here have you?".

"I know this is where he lives, but no… I ain't never been here personally".

"And that smoke do you think that's him?".

"Sure as hell better be".

"Well let's go check it out then".

"Alright let's go, how bout you Jake you seem quiet?", Joel didn't get any response though "Jake?!", Joel said louder this time.

"Huh", he replied.

"What's up you seem quiet?".

"Just thinking".

"If it's about Tess then stop".

"No not about Tess".

"Wanna share?".

"No thanks". So there we were in some town we don't know looking for Bill I was getting bored so I decided to try whistling.

"Are you alright?", Joel asked me.

"I"m trying to learn how to whistle", I replied

"Pucker like when you kiss someone", Jake said.

"What?", I responded.

"You heard me", I kept trying but nothing.

"Okay so I don't know how to kiss", I said.

"I guess that's another disease you have".

"Very funny". We then got through a gate that lead to a street full of cars and abandoned building "So what happens after we get a car?".

"We drive to Tommy's".

"Marlene said he's your brother".

"More importantly he used to be a firefly he'll know where to take you".

"Oh okay".

"Yeah that's Bill's handy work," Joel said pointing at some kind of trap that had been set of by an infected.

"Anyone Else live in this town?", I asked.

"As a far as I know it's just him", so we took a left from the street into an alleyway an a clicker walked right into a wire and there was an explosion "Jesus".

"Whoa. Nelly. Wha-? What the hell was that?".

"That would be one of Bill's traps".

"Your friend a bit paranoid maybe?".

"That's putting it lightly".

"Very lightly," Jake added.

"What's the deal with this guy?".

"He helped me smuggle stuff into the city he knows how to find things".

"Well, let's hope we don't blow up trying to find him".

"Just watch your step and you'll be fine", we then climbed a truck and found a bow with some arrows Jake picked it up immediately.

"Let me use that. I'm a pretty good shot with that thing".

"How bout you let us handle this kinda stuff".

"Well we could all be armed cover each other".

"Jake found it, he decides".

"Sorry but I don't know you enough to trust you with a bow", Jake explained "And if I did trust you enough a weapon it'd be a gun".

"That's just an excuse".

"Believe what you want", we then crossed some building and Jake killed the first clicker with a bow.

"Now listen Bill ain't exactly the most stable of individuals. So when we get there you let me do the talkin. You understand?", Joel asked

"I understand".

'We gotta be clear on this. He … He don't take kindly to strangers".

"Alright".

"Bill's a good guy, he just definitely need some time warming up to you that's all". After that we entered a building near an alleyway full of trap we open a door a Joel get caught in and is hanging from the ceiling.

"Joel?" I asked as I walked up to him and stopped him from swinging.

"I'm fine. It's another on of Bill's stupid traps. There that fridge is the counter weight".

"Okay", me and Jake then went towards the fridge Jake then helped me up onto the fridge.

"Cut that rope and it'll get me down".

"On it" I said and started cutting the rope with my switchblade and once I was on infected started arriving in the room.

"Ellie hurry up".

"I'm going as fast as I can", after some time the fridge dropped to the ground but Joel went higher "Oh fuck".

"You alright?".

"Yeah".

"C'mon you can do it", I then climbed up on the fridge again to start cutting.

"Cover me I'll get you down", Jake said as he started aiming one of his knives he then threw it at the part of the rope that I was cutting, cutting the rope completely letting Joel to the floor but a runner tackled him immediately then a large man in a gas mask holding a machete walked in the room and cut the runner attacking Joel.

"Get off your ass and on your feet", the man said helping Joel up we then ran out the room and outside only to find more infected "Ah goddamnit back! Get back!".

"Oh shit. Oh fuck".

"Which way?", Joel asked.

"Alright - we'll ah.. We'll cut through. C'mon - here", Bill replied

"Run Ellie".

"Oh goddamn".

"I'm going".

"Wheres that goddamn key", Bill said.

"Guys they're right behind us", I shouted.

"Bill come on!", Joel shouted the door then opened but infected were already inside we took care of them and ran.

"Alright, come one we're almost there. Follow me" Bill said.

Jake's POV

We made it inside a safe room and I went over to the wall furthest away from the exit and leaned on it.

"Man that was close. Uh thanks for the heroics and all", It said to Bill as he walked up to her and took of his gas mask "Uh, Ellie", It said putting It's hand forward but instead of taking it Bill handcuffed her to a pipe "What are you doing?!".

I was kind of expecting that knowing Bill he doesn't take any risks, he doesn't know It so that was probably the safest thing to do.

"Bill", Joel shouted "Bill", he said now approaching him.

"Turn around and get on your knees", Bill said pointing a gun at Joel.

"Just calm down a second".

"Turn around and get on your knees", Bill didn't do anything to me like he didn't know I was here.

"Bill they're clean", I said.

"Jake", Bill said turning to face me "What the fuck are you doing here?". Kinda surprised he recognised me it's been what five years, he doesn't exactly look happy to see me either I left on bad terms so I can't really blame him.

"I'm with them let em go".

"Fine", when he said that Ellie broke the pipe from the wall and was about to swing it at Bill but I grabbed the pipe "Who the fuck is this punk?", Bill said looking at It.

"Cargo", I responded.

"So why the fuck are you here?", he asked now looking at Joel.

"We need a car", Joel answered.

"Well Joel needs a car", he said and then went to sharpen his machete "Well if I had one that work, which I sure as hell don't, what makes you think I'm gonna give it to you? Yeah sure Joel take my car, take all my food while you're at it".

"By the looks-", It said but it was probably an insult so I covered her mouth.

"Forget it Joel I ain't getting you a car", Joel then walked towards the two of us.

"Let me try", I said and then walked up to Bill "What's up Bill?".

"Jake you're a good kid but I don't have a car to give".

"But you could get one".

"There are parts".

"So you could get us one, c'mon for my parents".

"You're gonna blackmail me with you're parents each time aren't you?".

"If it works".

"Alright if I'm gonna do this there's some gear I'm gonna need it's on the other side of town. now you help me gather it and maybe I can put together something that runs. But after this blackmailing me with your parents ain't gonna do shit"

"That's fine I'll probably be joining em soon", I replied and Bill slammed a key on a table I took it and undid It's handcuffs.

"Good", Bill replied he then then looked at Joel and said in a low voice "Are they dating?".

"Fuck no", We said in unison and then looked at each other then away.

"Could've fooled me", Joel said

"Follow me. Whole goddamn town booby trapped, best stay right on my ass", he said as he walked towards another door to exit.

"Can't miss it", It said.

"Shut it" I replied.

We made it to the place with Bill's weapons with some trouble but we were all alive Bill made sure to tell It not to touch anything when It went towards where the guns were Joel stopped her.

"What? I need a gun.", It said

"No you don't", Joel replied

"Joel I can handle myself".

"No. Just.. stay here. Jake keep an eye on her".

"Well this goes on record as the worst job you've ever taken".

"Yeah it's up there".

"How in hell is Tess okay-" I got distracted from the conversation when I heard paper moving I turned to look at It and It was messing around with Bill's pile of magazines.

"He said don't touch", I told It.

"I'm not listening to everything you guys tell me", It replied.

"I'll say it again don't touch".

"No", I then pulled her by her backpack down to the floor. "Ow".

"I warned you".

"Jake", Bill called and then motioned me to come over.

"Don't touch", I told it one last time I then walked over to where Joel and Bill were Bill came over to me and put his arm on my shoulder.

"It's okay kid, you don't need a brat like her", Bill said.

"Bill she's not like".

"Bullshit I can see it's just like that".

"How the hell do you two know each other?", Joel asked.

"I used to live in this shit hole", I explained.

"And how do you know Joel?", Bill asked.

"He's my grand-uncle", I answered.

"Well shit didn't know you were that old", Bill said as he threw me some ammo for my pistol "There's a baseball bat over there if you wanna use it".

"Thanks".

"HEY!", he shouted at it "What I say when we walked down the steps? What I say?".

"I just fixing your stupid pile", It replied.

"Don't touch", Bill repeated and Ellie showed the middle finger at Bill.

"God damn it,"I thought to myself "Do the fireflies need her mouth and fingers, if she keeps this up..." I thought then took a deep breathe "Keep it together Jake," I whispered to myself. We then went up stairs into an area that looked like a church.

'Wow", It said.

"Nice place you got", Joel said.

"Well if you got anything to confess, this'd be the place to do it", Bill replied I then walked up to the cross at the front of the room.

"Hey ah God I don't really know how you do these things so I'll just cut to the chase. How's everybody doing Marry, Tess? That's a dumb question they're dead".

"You know you could talk to an actual human instead of an imaginary being", It said.

"Sorry I believe that you're not infected but I don't trust you enough yet to have proper conversation".

"So you'd rather talk to that?".

"I'm not a christian I just like to think that the people that are gone are safe and happy".

"Fair enough".

"Thanks for understanding Ellie", that was the first time I used her name so she smiled at me and I smiled back, "Why am I smiling?", I thought "I've got nothing to be happy about. I didn't know I could give a real smile anymore, it's been so long."

"Alright let's go", Bill said opening a window and then stepping through it "Look the schools right there", he said pointing at it "Ready?".

"Guess we'll find out", Joel replied.

"I thought my whole life I would never have to go to school", I said.

"Me neither", Ellie said.

"Hey Jake you know your-," Bill said.

"I know Bill," I said cutting Bill off and Bill went silent.

"What is it?" Joel asked.

"My old house is near here."

"I was gonna say we can stop by there if you want," Bill said I then shook my head in response.

"I'm good."

"What happened there?" Ellie asked I shot her glare.

"Better you didn't ask."

We then started the short walk towards the school but my eyes were caught by a small house, and I felt a chill go down my spine "I'm sorry," I thought I heard some footsteps coming towards me "Don't push your luck," I said and then turned around to see Ellie I then walked past her to catch up with Joel and Bill.

"Asshole," Ellie remarked an a small smirk formed on my face.

We got inside the school grounds but the door to where the trucks battery was locked so we had to get in through a window with infected coming after us.

"Here help me with this," Joel said as he moved a shelf towards the door and we held it against the door to stop the infected.

"It's empty," Bill said as he opened up the truck "It's fucking empty."

"Bill where to?", Joel

"Uh", Bill replied in panic.

"Bill where?!", Joel shouted.

"Anywhere but here", he then ran out the room with us following", when we left the infected broke through so we had to slow them down with any door in the hallway we could find "Let's um.. We'll sneak out the back", we then progressed through the hallways of the school and cut through the classrooms into a sports hall and blocked of the entrance so no more infected to get in but a bloater entered from the sports hall's closet, I couldn't move I was frozen from fear.

"Jake!", Joel yelled but I couldn't respond they started shooting at it I wanted to help but my body wouldn't let me it was getting closer and closer to me I get smell it's horrible stench I thought to myself this was the end but then someone or something tackled me out of the way and everything went black.

"Jake", a voice called "Jake", I heard it again it was a female's voice was I all I knew my eyes then started to open I could see Ellie face I was lying down in the sports hall.

"What happened?", I asked, and Ellie gave me an angry look and slapped me hard on my right cheek "The fuck was that for", I asked in a drowsy voice, but she just walked away Joel then gave me his hand and helped me up.

"Hey love birds can we get the hell out of here", Bill said and I just gave him a glare.

"Fuck you Bill", Ellie said we then got up on the bleachers and got out through the windows.

Ellie's POV

"Unbelievable that guy is we needed him to cover us he doesn't move then I save his ass he passes out almost letting that thing kill us and then when he wakes up he asks what happened", I thought to myself we then got over a fence separating the school from a house and we entered it "So that worked out well", I said Joel then gave me an intimidating look "Okay, ah. I'll go check out this side of the house", I said and went into the kitchen of the house Jake followed me.

"So how you holding up?", Jake asked.

"Better than you did back there".

"I have a past with bloaters they scare the shit out of me know".

"Okay", I said looking for supplies in the kitchen "Care to share?".

"I don't want to remember, but thanks for saving my ass back there".

"So who's Marry?".

"How the fuck do you know about Marry?".

"You talk in your sleep".

"Well she is none of your business, don't bring it up again".

"Alright", I replied and found a door in the kitchen and opened it to see a garage with a car in it I got into the car and started to see if it worked it made weird noises but didn't seem functional everyone else then entered the garage after hearing the noise "Look what I found. It's got some juice in it", Bill then walked up to the open hood.

"That's my battery. That fuckin asshole", Bill said and slammed the hood down "Get out. Get out".

"Okay geez", I replied doing what he said and Bill then stepped in the truck.

"Battery's drained but cells are alive".

"Meaning?", Joel asked.

"Meaning we push, get it started and the alternator will recharge the battery", Bill explained.

"Is that your guess?".

"Look you wanted a plan B this is as good as it get", me and Jake then walked up to Joel.

"So what's the plan?", Jake asked Joel.

"The plan is Ellie drive the three of us push", Joel replied and I then got in the drivers seat and Jake leaned on the back passenger's door.

"Alright Bill let's do this", Joel said, Bill opened the garage door Joel was at the back of the truck Jake opened the back passenger door and was gonna push from there.

"Alright put er in first", Bill said as he went to the back of the truck.

"Already did it".

"Just keep your foot on the clutch and when we get to roll-".

"I know how to pop a clutch", I said interrupting Bill remembered the time Winston showed me how to drive though he

"How the hell", Bill said as the car started moving Y'know what, I don't care. Just don't fuck it up". After three attempts and three waves of infected we finally charged the battery and were able to use the car but all the sound alerted a shit ton of infected once everyone was safe in or on the truck I floored it. After about ten minutes of driving through Bill's town he told me to stop once we were near the edge of town.

"Just keep it running, alright?" Joel told me and I gave him a thumbs up in response Joel and Bill got out of the back of the truck and went over to a nearby building a talked while Jake stayed in the backseat and I moved into the backseat next to him. We then started driving for a couple of hours and it began to ran Jake was snoring in the back Joel thought I was sleeping but I wasn't and he was driving.

"Oh man", I said waking up Jake and surprising Joel, he then looked in the mirror to see me.

"Hey what happened to sleeping?", Joel asked.

"Okay I know it doesn't look like it but this here is not a bad read. Only one problem right here", I said pointing to the bottom of the last pad "To be continued. I hate cliffhangers".

"I already read the whole series", Jake said.

"Really what happens?".

"I ain't spoiling it".

"Where'd you get that?", Joel asked.

"Uh back at Bill's", I replied and Jake then face palmed "I mean all this stuff was just lying there", Joel then sighed.

"What else you get?".

"Well", I said reaching into my bag :This might make you a little nostalgic", I said as I handed Joel a CD case.

"Some of these are actually before my time. That is a winner though", Joel then put the CD in the player in the truck and some old country music started playing "Oh man", Joel said when the music started.

"Well better than nothing", I then reached into my bag to pull out a magazine "Oh I'm sure your friend will be missing this tonight".

"Um-hmm", Joel replied not noticing what I was talking about but Jake noticed and opened his mouth to talk but no words came out and he face palmed after.

"Don't," Jake said simply.

"Light on the reading but it's got some interesting photos", Joel then turned to look at her and saw the magazine.

"Now Ellie that ain't for kids".

"Whoa. How.. how the hell do you guys even walk around with that thing".

"Get rid of that just-".

"Hold your horses. I wanna see what all the fuss is about", I said cutting of Joel and he turned back to the road I could see that Jake wanted no part in the conversation "Oh why are these stuck together?".

"Um," said not knowing what else to say and out of the corner of my eye I saw Jake blush a little.

"I'm just fucking with you. Bye bye dude", I said as I threw it out the window.

"Poor choice of words", Jake said "And you're fourteen".

"You know what this isn't that bad", I said reaching to turn up the volume.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep", Joel said.

"Maybe later", I replied and Jake started humming to the music "Didn't know you were a singer?".

"When I can, which isn't often", Jake replied.

"Why don't you do some actual singing?".

"Think I'll pass", he then began to drift off again once was sure he was asleep I decided to ask Joel something.

"Who's Marry?".

"That ain't none of your business and it definitely ain't for me to say", Joel replied.

After the rain stopped Joel told Jake to drive and he went and sat in the back of the truck for some fresh air the music continued to play.

"Hey how bout you sing a bit?", I asked.

"I said before no".

"Please", I persisted but he didn't seem to care "Pretty please".

"I said".

"Aw come on", I said with a saddened look, he then took a deep breath.

"Fine I'm not heartless", he replied and the next song started he started singing as well "Fuck this is gonna be awkward as hell," Jake muttered under his breath

We've been standing in the rain all night  
Crying happy tears for you  
And ever since we've met, things feel right  
Like when a crystal meets a sunshine

I can burn up in your flame all night  
And spread my ashes of the summertime  
Cause in the summertime I feel alive

I can burn  
Burn up in your flame all night  
And spread my ashes  
Ashes of the summertime

I feel just fine  
Making love all night  
I feel alive  
Dancing on the moonlight

Just a whisper gives me butterflies  
I'm getting drunk of all that love shine  
Real love like it's '69  
A revolution where two hearts tie

I can burn up in your flame all night  
And spread my ashes of the summertime  
Cause in the summertime I feel alive

I can burn  
Burn up in your flame all night  
And spread my ashes  
Ashes of the summertime

I feel just fine  
Making love all night  
I feel alive  
Dancing on the moonlight

I can burn  
Burn up in your flame all night  
And spread my ashes  
Ashes of the summertime

I feel just fine  
Making love all night  
I feel alive  
Dancing on the moonlight

"You happy now?".

"Yeah. You're actually a really good singer you know, you should do it more ofter", this comment made him blush a little.

"Who's singing have you heard that you thing mine is good?", he then looked at the road ahead there was a split but one way was blocked the other lead to some place called Pittsburg "Joel?!" Jake shouted so Joel could hear Joel pointed to the road leading to Pittsburg so Jake drove on.

"Hey did Joel ever have any children?".

"Sorry.. I can't answer that".

"Oh."

"Why ask?"

"Just curious."

We soon arrived in city called Pittsburg and all around you could old destroyed buildings and rotted out cars then Jake mad a hard stop.

"Easy," I said in response to the sudden stop I then looked forwards to see an injured man walking towards are truck "What do we do?".

"Joel?", Jake asked Joel signalled to keep going.

"What about the guy?" I asked.

"Betcha he ain't even hurt.

Jake then started moving the truck about to drive over the guy but he pulled out a pistol began firing from behind a bus a guy threw a brick at us an then a bus was falling down a hill right into us we then drove straight through a garage door and into some crates the glass had on the car had some many cracks it could break at any time the window to Jake's door had already cracked and some glass shard sank into his face and started drawing blood."Ellie get out the truck", Jake said.

"Okay", I replied as I undid my seatbelt but one I did a guy opened the door and grabbed me "AH", I screamed "Let go me you little chickenshit", I said Jake tried to keep me in the truck but the man was to strong Joel was already wrestling with another man the guy that got me let go for a second only to slap me to the ground Jake then hit him right in the face with his baseball bat.

"Come on get your stuff and let's get the hell outta here", Joel said me and Jake then returned to the truck to get our stuff, people then started shooting at us since I didn't have a gun I had to wait for Joel and Jake to take care of em. "Alright I think that's the last of them. You two okay?"

"Yeah", I replied.

"Never better", Jake answered.

We then went through a garage door to find a safe place for the time we took any supplies and then left. "How did you know about the ambush?", I asked.

"I've been on both sides", Joel responded.

"You kill a lot of innocent people?".

"You do what you gotta to survive", Jake answered for him.

"So that means you too?"

"What do you think?" Jake asked me but I didn't say anything.

"Shouldn't you get that glass out of your face?".

"Don't worry about me", Jake replied.


	6. Chapter 6:Hunters

Chapter 6 Hunters

Ellie's POV

"Alright you see that bridge in the distance? That's our way out", Joel explained. I then started trying to whistle again and I did.

"I'm whistling", I said.

"Oh good. Something else you can annoy me with".

"That's awesome," I said as I started whistling some random tunes.

"Shh. Get down", Joel said as some hunter showed up talking some shit I don't care enough about, we managed to sneak past them and see a military checkpoint.

"Whoa. It's strange seeing a checkpoint with no soldiers".

"This is what most zones look like. This place has been abandoned for a while now", Joel explained.

"And then the hunters took over", Jake added.

"Quiet", Joel said, for hunters they have bad security I thought we sneaked past them with ease, we then entered a hotel to cut through. Once we got in I could see that this place had gone to complete shit, I wonder what it was like before.

"Whoa.. this is fancy. Ever stay in a place like this? Before it went to shit I mean", I asked Joel

"Ah this is too rich for my blood", we then went up to the next floor of the hotel but I was starting to get bored.

"Okay we need to lighten the mood. Ready? It doesn't matter how much you push the envelope it will still be stationary", I said.

"What is that?", Joel asked.

"Joke book. No Pun Intended: Volume Two by Will Livingston".

"What did the boy say to a girl holding an open pun book?", Jake asked.

"What?"Ellie asked in response.

"Shut it", we then moved on through the hotel to the next floor which had a few hunters that were taken care then we found a elevator with a ladder in it we got inside and climbed the ladder to the elevator shaft we climbed through a hole in the shaft into back into the hotel Joel boosted me and Jake up but the floor gave way after so Joel couldn't come up.

"Joel. Joel!", I shouted down to him.

"I'm alright. Are you okay?".

'No. You scared the shit out of me. Hold on we'll climb down to you".

"No. I'll make my way up to you. Jake watch her".

"Alright", Jake replied he then took a seat on the floor.

"So how are you doing?".

"Surviving".

"Do you trust me enough to have conversation yet?".

"Depends on the subject?".

"Okay. What's the deal with you and Bill?".

"You wanna know? Kinda depressing," Jake said and I nodded in response."This is the only time I'll say so don't forget it. I used to live in his town with my parents they were supposed to go meet Joel in Boston for Bill to trade but then when they returned they were infected and we couldn't help them so my father told me to go to Joel and that I'd be safe there, ever since then Bill felt guilty about my parents".

"What's up with your eyes?"

"I don't know it's been like that since birth."

"I'm why do you carry around so many knives?".

"One of them is a memento I guess, my mum gave it to me before I... shot her, she said keep it as something to remember us by", Jake said and pulled out a chain with a knife hanging from it luckily the knife had a sheath or Jake would be cutting himself "It's this," a loud thud was then heard followed by a splash, it sounded nearby "Wait you hear that?".

"Yeah. Think it's Joel?".

"Definitely", Jake said we then ran to where the noise came from but a hunter sneaked up on us "You help Joel I got this", I listened and continued to where the noise was and I saw a man holding Joel down in a puddle Joel was reaching for his gun but couldn't get so I picked it up and shoot the man Joel then got out of the water and looked at me.

"Man.. I shot the hell outta that guy, huh?".

"Yeah you sure did", Joel replied.

"I feel sick".

"Why didn't you just hang back like I told you to?", Joel said.

"Well you're glad I didn't right?".

"I'm glad I didn't get my head blown off by a goddamn kid".

"You know what?No. How about, hey Ellie, I know it wasn't easy, but it was either him or me, thanks for saving my ass. You got anything like that for me Joel?".

"Where's Jake?".

"Right here I was taking care of one hunter", Jake said as he walked up to us "Something wrong?".

"Fuck you", I said pushing Jake away

"Somebody gonna fill me in on what happened?".

"Lets go", Joel said.

"Lead the way", I said.

"Fine fuck you guys too", Jake said.

"Wanna explain the blood on your face?" Joel asked.

"Ain't mine, I just did my usual thing," Jake replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked an a creepy grin appeared on Jake's face.

"Shouldn't have asked," Joel said.

"Let's just say he died slowly and painfully."

"You're sick."

"I know."

We then found a large room with tables all round and some rotting food, there was a piano on the stage which we were going to use to boost us up.

"How bout a hand?", Joel asked.

"Sure you can trust me with that?", I said as I walked up to the piano and the three of us pushed it. After we used the piano as a boost we made it to some scaffolding were some hunters were waiting down below, there was a dead guy with a rifle sitting on a couch Joel then took it and ducked down from the hunters.

"Come on. Keep your head down. Alright now.. Me and Jake are gonna jump down there clear us a path"

"What about me?".

"You stay here".

"This is so stupid. We'd have more of a fucking chance if you'd let me help".

"I am. You seem to know your way around a gun. You reckon you can handle that?", Joel said giving the rifle from earlier to me.

"Well uh I sorta fired a rifle before, but it was at rats".

"Rats?".

"With BB"s".

"Well it's the same basic concept. Lift it", I did as he said "Alright now you're gonna wanna lean right into that stock cause it is gonna kick a hell of a lot more than any BB rifle".

"Okay".

"Go ahead and pull the bolt back. Grab is right there tug it there you."I did as said again "As soon as you fire you're gonna get another round in there quick. Listen to me if we get in trouble down there you make every shot count. Yeah?"

"I got this".

"Alright".

"Good luck", Jake said to me.

"Sorry about pushing you earlier".

"Don't worry about it".

"Just so we're clear about back there, it was either him or me", Joel said and then went down followed by Jake.

"You're welcome", I said.

"Alright come down Ellie", Joel said when all of the fuckers brains were blown to bits I then climbed down from the scaffolding to see Joel taking a hunter's pistol

"How'd I do?", I asked as I approached Joel he just nodded and took the rifle from me.

"I'd say you did pretty good for a first time", Jake said walking over to us.

"Thanks".

"How bout somethin a little more you size", Joel said giving me the pistol but when a went to take it he moved it away "This is for emergencies only".

"Okay", I said taking the gun and putting it away.

"The safety is on. You know how to switch it off".

"I do".

"Okay you gotta respect it this is not-".

"Joel I'll be careful", I said stopping him from finishing

"Okay".

"Respect it not what he told me when teaching me how to shoot but okay", Jake said.

"You're a special case", Joel replied.

"Good to know". After a bit of walking through the streets of and killing some hunters.


	7. Chapter 7:Allies

Jake's POV

I'm wondering how much of a pain in the ass it's gonna be to get to Tommy now that the car is gone, but I guess we should worry about getting out of this shithole first. I'm also wondering what we're gonna do once we deliver her to the fireflies going back to Boston probably isn't an option probably too far away, we're probably not even getting paid I bet. Oh well one problem at a time.

"That was too damn close", Joel said.

"Too the edge of the universe and back. Endure and survive", Ellie replied.

"Excuse me?".

"Savage starlight", Me and Ellie said at the same time she then looked at me with surprise..

"Told you I read that comic. It's what the hero says after a big battle".

"Endure and survive?", Joel said.

"Yeah", Ellie replied.

"Okay".

Passing through the street of this place was weird to say the very least for me, this was a quarantine zone so this could've happened to Boston and then what would've happened to me. I then noticed out of the corner of my eye Ellie staring at a poster.

"I thought you had plenty of food in your time?", Ellie asked Joel.

"We did some just chose not to eat it", Joel answered.

"Why the hell not?"

"I dunno, looks."

"That stupid".

"Stupid yes, pointless no", I said and Ellie looked at me "In that world there were advantages to that," I replied then Ellie walked away.

"Smooth move", Joel said to me.

"What?".

"You pretty much called her fat".

"And the problem is? She's just cargo that happens to have a conscious", I replied "Why does he care?", I thought. We then started walking again and believe it or not, more hunters this time they had an armoured truck on their side which was shooting at us left and right but we managed by climbing on top of ledges of some buildings we soon after lost it we climbed through a window but some guy grabbed Joel there was a kid aiming a gun at as so we couldn't do anything Joel then got the better of the man that grabbed him and started beating him.

"Joel. Joel stop", Ellie shouted and eventually he listened "Look", she said pointing to the kid with the gun.

"Leave him alone", he said we all then raised our hands in response.

"Easy son. Just take it easy", Joel said.

"it's alright. They're not the bad guys. Lower the gun", the man said and the kid did as he said "Man you hit hard".

"Well I was trying to kill you", Joel replied.

"Yeah I thought you were one of them too. Then I saw you two", he said pointing at me and Ellie "If you haven't notice they don't keep kids around. Survival of the fittest".

"You're bleeding", the boy said.

"Ah it's nothing", he said opening the kid's bag "I'm Henry this is Sam, Think I caught your name was Joel?".

"Ellie", she responded "That's Jake", she said as she pointed at me.

"How many are with you?".

"They're all dead", Sam replied.

"Hey we don't know that", Henry said tying a bandage around where the blood was coming from "There were a bunch of us. Someone had the brilliant idea of entering the city, look for supplies. Those fuckers they ambushed us, scattered us. Now it's all about getting out of this shithole".

"We can help each other", Ellie said.

"Ellie", Joel said trying to get me to be quiet

"Safety in numbers and all that".

"She's right", Henry replied "We could help each other. We got a hideout not too far from here be safer if we chat there".

"Alright take us there", Joel replied.

"Follow me", Henry said.

"Sorry about the whole gun thing", Sam said

"It's okay I probably would've done the same. Where you from?", Ellie said.

"All the way from Hartford".

"Really I heard some bad stuff was going on down there".

"Yeah, the military abandoned the zone. It's why we left. Place probably looks like this by now", Sam said "So how are you doing?", he asked me.

"He's not the most chatty of people but when he does open his mouth it's usually funny".

"Just because you find everything funny doesn't mean everyone else does", I replied.

"See there's always some kind of humour in what he says", she replied and Sam gave me a look as if he wanted to kill me I returned the glare, if we were back in Boston I would've punched him right in the face but right now we're asking for their help so I can't do that.

"We gotta be careful. We're right next to one of their lookout area", Henry said "Is it just you and your kids?".

"Neither of us are his kids", Ellie explained.

"I promised some people I'd look after them", Joel added.

"Look after, is that the right term for this? I don't know", I thought.

"Yeah. I can appreciate that", Henry replied. We then climbed down some stairs into a store called Choochoo Toys "Wait, wait everyone be quiet. Get down", Henry said the hunter's truck then moved down the street outside we waited for it to leave before getting back up "Man… that fuckin truck. It's been hounding us ever since we in this damn-", Henry said but got distracted by Sam and didn't finish his sentence "Sam what are you doing?", he asked the boy who was holding a toy robot.

"Nothing", Sam replied.

"Get rid of it".

"My backpack is practically empty".

"What's the rule about takin stuff?".

"It weighs like nothing".

"The rule what is it?".

"We only take what we need to", Sam answered putting the toy down.

"He looks at least twelve. So why is he playing with toys", I thought to myself I then saw Ellie pick up the robot "Really?", I asked in a whisper.

"Shut up", Ellie replied.

"You trust them already?"

"Yes and so should you," Ellie said and then moved on ahead to join up with the rest of the group.

"How close are we?", Joel asked.

"We're close. Real close", Henry replied as he opened a door to exit. We then arrived at an office space which lead to Henry's hideout.

"You sure this is safe being so close to them?", Joel asked Henry.

"I'm the only one with the key", Henry replied.

"Where'd you get that?".

"I killed one of em. He won't miss it now".

"So how old are you?", Sam asked as we entered.

"We're both fourteen. You?", Ellie replied.

"The same".

"Oh you're fourteen, huh?", Henry said.

"I'm close", Sam replied.

"Alright".

"I am", Sam said I just chuckled at this conversation."What's so funny?".

"You know what I'm laughing at you just don't wanna say it", I replied.

"Whatever", Sam said and walked towards Henry then opened another door in the office and we all entered.

"Welcome to my office", Henry said.

"How long have you guys been holed up in here?", Ellie asked.

"A few days", Sam answered "Found a bit of food though. Here", he said motioning Ellie to follow I went and sat on an office chair.

"Blueberries. Found a whole stash of em", Henry said "Want some?", he asked Joel.

"No", Joel replied

"Man, relax we're safe".

"So why haven't you left?", I stopped listening to their conversation if Joel approves of their way out it'll work for me Sam then started throwing Blueberries into his mouth but Ellie wasn't eating.

"Jake heads up", Ellie said she then threw a blue berry at me I then caught it in my mouth.

"How come you're not eating?", I asked.

"I'm not hungry", she replied.

"You should still eat you don't know the next time you'll get some food".

"Maybe later".

"You three should rest up", Henry said "We leave tonight", I then settled in my chair and began to drift off.

I then woke up a few hours later it was an hour or from sunset, I went outside the office and found I started rubbing trying to remove the glass from earlier with some rags in my backpack that I use incase I don't have any, I heard footsteps behind me so I instinctively pulled out a knife pinned the person against the wall and pointed the knife at their stomach.

"It's Ellie", Ellie said and I then let her go.

"If you want to live I suggest you don't sneak up on me again", I replied and then went back to removing the glass

"I thought you were supposed to be looking after me, not killing me".

"I meant I would do it out of instinct not intentional focused killing".

"I don't feel taken care of you're kind of intimidating to be around".

"Then I suppose our definitions of taken care of are different. Mine is you're living".

"Why are you such an asshole? I thought I finally got on your good side".

"I have my reasons."

"I'm starting to question if you have a good side".

"It's less of a side for me and more like a small portion".

"You know it's better if someone else does that", Ellie said walking up to me.

"I got it, it's fine", I replied but Ellie took the rag off of me anyway and started removing the glass.

"You trust me now?".

"It'll take a bit more than that but it's start I suppose", I replied and then hissed at the sting of the glass being removed.

"Good to know", Ellie replied and then put the rag down "All done".

"So how come you weren't eating the blueberries earlier".

"I told you I wasn't hungry".

"You think I'm that dumb?", I asked but I wasn't expecting an answer "Is this about the thing I said about that poster?".

"Maybe".

"Look if you felt offended by it I'm sorry".

"Oh no I was offended", Ellie replied I then sighed in response.

"You don't have to not eat food to look pretty. You're pretty enough already", I said.

"I'm sorry what was that?", she said.

"You're pretty and you should eat properly".

"How pretty?", she asked with a sly smile.

"Are we really having this conversation?", I asked but she didn't respond "I'm not really one to judge", I said then walked away "Get some rest"

An hour or so later.

"Hey it's time to go wake up you girlfriend and granddad", Sam said.

"Ironic how you call her my girlfriend even though you've tried to impress her all day don't you think? You already saying your chances are low?", I replied.

"Shut up asshole", He said and then left.

"I get that a lot", I then got and went over to wake up Joel and Ellie.

"Alright y'all ready?", Henry asked as we approached him.

"Yeah", Joel answered, we then went down some stairs to leave the office next outside was the street that lead to the bridge but the hunters were blocking it so me Henry and Joel cleared a path to open the gate that lead to the bridge. Once all the hunters were dead we opened the gate but a Humvee coming after us we managed to close the gate and had to climb over another gate to get to the bridge everyone but Joel got over this metal box to get over the gate but before Joel could get up the ladder we were using broke.

"Okay we gotta get him up", Ellie said.

"I'm sorry we're leaving" Henry replied as he ran away.

"What?", Sam said.

"This is bullshit", Ellie responded me and Ellie then jumped down from the box to open a garage door so that we would at least be safe from the Humvee. I then noted the the driver of the Humvee had terrible aim. we then got through the building and around the gate and into the street leading to the bridge where the Humvee opened fire at us but missed, like I said terrible aim we then got near the middle of the bridge only to find a giant hole in it stopping us from crossing

"Oh shit", Joel said

"Oh fuck", Ellie said afterwards.

"How many bullets do you have left?".

"They're gonna kill us".

"What other choice do we have",

"We jump".

"No it's too high and you can't swim".

"I'm with Ellie on this one Joel", I said.

"No time to argue", Ellie said and jumped I went after her followed by Joel I then grabbed her but the current was pushing us straight into a rock I had to put my back to the rock to take the hit and once again everything went black. When I woke of I saw Ellie and Sam above me Ellie then hugged me and Sam went to call Henry.

"Last time I passed out and I woke up you slapped me this time you hug me", I said.

"Would you prefer the slap?", Ellie asked.

"Good point", I said and got up to see Joel running towards me.

"Jake you okay?", Joel asked.

"Yeah".

"We gotta get moving", Henry said.

"Alright", I replied Ellie then helped me to my feet "Shit", I said.

"You okay?", Ellie asked.

"I'll be fine".

"The radio tower on the other side of that cliff let's go", Henry said and we started moving.


	8. Chapter 8:Loss

Chapter 8 Loss

Jake's POV

We started walking towards the cliff and entered a sewer to cross to the other of the cliff to get to the radio tower which has a good amount of supplies apparently"Flashlights out. Sam stay-".

"Stay close I know", Sam said interrupting Henry.

"Looks like someone's finally learning. Ah great", Henry said as we arrived a split in the sewer we went right Henry and Sam went left "This way. Looks like there's a path up ahead. Right here", we then followed Henry only to find two platforms with a large body of water in between hindering our progress I stopped and looked at the surroundings for a good minute to see what we should do.

"That platform moves on the track but we need the generator on the other side to power it, see if you can move that gate using the wheel and get something to get one person across to power the generator to get the rest of us across", I explained.

"Good thinking Jake", Joel shouted.

"Didn't know you were a puzzle solver", Ellie said.

"Just think about everything here then get back to me", I replied and got no immediate response she then thought for a few minutes

"I don't get it".

"What's the point of that moving platform if there's nothing to power it with? And the gate. What's the point if there's nothing on the other side?".

"Okay I see what you mean", Ellie said Sam just looked away with a disappointed look I felt a grin appear on my then returned with a wooden pallet "Oh this thing again".

"Jake you mind helping me push?", Joel asked even though I couldn't say no, so we pushed.

"I told you there'd be something of use on the other side", I said as I got Ellie to the other side "Get that generator running".

"On it", Ellie replied she then got it started and the platform started moving "Huh, you're plan worked Jake".

"As expected", Henry then helped me and Joel out of the water.

"I gotta say I'm impressed with you're quick thinking kid", Henry said.

"Yeah whatever", I replied because I didn't really care if died today or a hundred years from now. as I walked forward and found a door with barrels in front of it.

"Uh what's up with this?", Ellie asked.

"Probably people inside, might've use the barrels as cover when protecting their place in their, crafty people".

"Are we really going in there?", Henry asked.

"The fact that the generator wasn't running probably means they died and haven't been maintaining the place. We should be fine".

"Lead the way Einstein", Sam said, Joel then opened the door.

"Oh shit", Henry said as some glass bottle fell.

"Sound trap alerts the people and hurts if you're dumb enough to run under it".

"Who'd stay in here?", Sam asked.

"It's actually smart".

"How so?", Henry asked.

"It's a tight area which you would know you're way around, limited entrances and exits, easy to know if infected are coming near the the sea ,or whatever that body of water is outside, so you get fish and the fish will be moist giving you water, plus who would think of coming through here. Elementary my dear Wattson".

"What?", Ellie asked.

"Sherlock Holmes detective book".

"Okay", Ellie said and she then found a soccer ball some old wood made to look like a goal "Hey Sam stand by those posts over there".

"Yeah", he replied and stood there Ellie then kicked the ball but Sam caught it "Oh.. Henry did you see that?"

"Let's keep it down, buddy. okay", Henry replied.

"My turn", I said as I walked to where Ellie was standing Sam threw the ball at me and then I shot the ball he didn't catch that time the ball bounced of the wall and came right back at me.

"You trying to kill me with that thing", Sam said.

"If you afraid of being hit by the ball you shouldn't be playing", I replied.

"Alright how bout you go in the goal?".

"Fine I'll save your shot", we then switched places and Sam shot the ball at me and I caught it with one hand "You were saying".

"Show off", Ellie said and we then started walking again.

"Not my fault I'm too good".

"You hear that? Infected".

"Shh, ssshh. Quiet", Joel said he then opened a gate leading to where the infected where and they attacked us but it wasn't much of a problem.

"Well I guess we know what happened to these people", Ellie said.

"Seeing how there was a clicker, they've been gone for a while", Joel explained.

"At least someone else is using there brain", I remarked "Rain-catchers they didn't even have to leave for water, these people know what they're doing".

"So why are they gone?", Ellie asked.

"Someone probably didn't cover an entrance and the infected got in". We then went down some stairs and saw a metal gate Joel then opened it I realised what it does "JOEL DON'T", I shouted it was too late I then pulled Sam out of the way of a falling gate separating us, with me Sam and Joel on one side and Henry and Ellie on the other.

"Let's see if we can lift this", Joel said motioning me and Henry to try and lift it.

"So this is awkward", Ellie said to Sam neither of which were helping.

"Yeah, I know. It's like every-", Sam replied.

"Clickers!", Ellie said cutting off Sam.

"Hey this thing isn't budging man", Henry said.

"Just go get out of here", Joel replied.

"Sam you stay close to him", Henry said pointing at Joel.

"Henry we gotta fucking move!", Ellie shouted.

"You keep him safe!", Henry shouted.

"GO!", Joel shouted back, they then ran for it with clickers following them.

"They should be able to handle five clickers", I said.

"You actually bothered to count?", Sam asked.

"To figure out there chance of living make me worry less although they'll probably attract more".

"Keep quiet, let's move", Joel said as he walked through the door he opened earlier and we heard a lot of infected and we didn't want to alert anyone of them we quietly made it through the sewer.

"Fucking thing!", a voice in the distance said.

"Is that Ellie?", Sam said.

"C'mon", Joel said he then jumped down and we found Ellie and same.

"We gotta run", Ellie said an I could see why they attracted more Runners and Clickers so we ran and closed a door behind us and found another one of those metal gates but it was jammed form the other side.

"Sam!", Ellie shouted as Sam crawled through a small metal fence that lead to the other side.

"Sam what the hell are you doing?", Henry asked

"Getting us outta here!", Sam shouted.

"Well hurry up then".

"Good thinking", I said as the metal gate opened.

"Everyone upstairs", Henry said as we ran for it up the stairs when we got to the top there was a door but it was locked "Damn things stuck".

"You two get through that window on top and work on the door", I said.

"Alright boost us up", Ellie said, me, Henry and Joel were going to deal with the infected we covered the places were they would come from with nail bombs in advance and kill the rest when they showed up but by the time the rest arrived the door was open and we went through.

"Fresh air", Henry said.

"Wha- look at this", Sam said pointing at the building there was writing that read: Warning Infected inside Do not open.

"Oh, are you fucking kidding me?", Ellie said "Thanks for the warning the other side guys".

"So where's this tower?", Joel asked.

"We're close. C'mon. Let's go", Henry replied.

Ellie's POV

"Hey look at that", Henry said pointing to a radio tower "Yep. What'd I tell you, huh? Let's move", so we started following Henry through the small neighbourhood.

"How you two holding up?", Joel asked.

"My back still hurts but I'll live", Jake replied.

"Business as usual. When I was with Henry I took out a couple of infected by myself. You'd be proud", I responded.

"Yeah", Joel said rather quietly as if he didn't want to admit it.

"Thanks for saving me back at the bridge", I said to Jake.

"Just doing my job", he replied.

"I know but still".

"Don't worry about me".

"Oh look doggies", I said as I walked near but they ran away.

"You're gonna want to stay away from those. It's not like it is in the zone. These are wild", Joel replied.

"What is this?", I said walking up to a strange vehicle.

"Oh that's an ice cream truck", Sam replied.

"Ice cream truck?".

"It is what it sounds a truck that goes around selling ice cream", Jake said.

"What? No way Joel?".

"It's true. These thing would go around and play loud creepy music and kids would come running out to buy ice cream", Joel said.

"You're totally fucking with me".

"Um-mm. Serious.".

"You lived in a strange time".

"Why you not a fan of ice cream?", Jake asked.

"Never ate it".

"Yeah me either ", Jake replied and then walked off next to Joel "Hey you ever had ice cream with you know who?".

"Don't say you know who, that just makes it sound weird, and yes she loved ice cream",

"I'm sorry I know you don't like to talk about her".

"It's alright".

We then entered multiple houses to look for supplies.

"I was just five when the cordyceps hit. My memory is a bit hazy, but I remember living in a neighbourhood just like this" Henry said

"What do you remember?", I asked.

"Ahh.. barbecues Parents they would throw these crazy big barbecues and invite a ton of people. You know, I remember the smell more than anything. Weird". We then entered another house with a dartboard on the wall with some darts on a stool.

"Hey Ellie wanna play darts?", Sam said, he took the first shot and barely hit the board I went next and practically had same the shot.

"Pfft amateurs", Jake said as he picked up a dart and threw it and got the bullseye Sam scrambled for the next dart

"I'll get the bullseye too", he said and then threw it and got better but Jake laughed.

"What's your definition of bullseye?", Jake said still cracking up then I picked up the last dart and threw it and once again matched Sam even with me and Sam having two darts and Jake having one we probably still lost, we then left the house and Sam looked a little disappointed.

"Fireflies were here", Henry said.

"Yeah by the looks of it", Joel replied.

"How're we gonna find them?".

"I know a guy. My brother actually. He was a firefly. Last I heard he was in Wyoming. We get there find him. We find the fireflies. Whaddya say you in?".

"Sounds like a plan man". We then got through the neighbourhood into a street with a large house at the end were a snipper was positioned and it shot at us on sight so we hid behind a car.

"Alright y'all stay here", Joel.

"No", I replied.

"We have a better chance if two of us go", Jake said.

"How's that?", Joel asked.

"The sniper's attention will be split so he won't know which one to shoot and the others guys will have to split up", Jake explained.

"Alright fine. Me and Jake will go take him out the rest of you stay here. I'll take right you take left", Joel instructed.

"Hey", I said "Don't die", the two of them nodded in response and then left while we waited once we saw that Joel had the snipper we started moving and killing anyone else that showed up but then is when a problem came up a Humvee showed up but the retard driver opened the hatch to throw a molotov then Joel snipped him and the Humvee crashed into a house "Shit! Oh that was intense! Thanks Joel".

"Alright we did it", Henry said.

"We should move".

"Sam!", Henry shouted as a runner attacked us. but we took care of the ones close to us "Sam, are you okay?".

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine".

"C'mon c'mon", I said as more infected were showing it we then ran for the house Joel and Jake were and Infected were knocking on the door "You're okay".

"Still here. Anybody hurt?", Joel asked.

"Uh-uh", Sam replied.

"No. We're good.", Henry said.

"Alright I think it's time we quit this place. C'mon", Joel said and turned to thee back door and got out through there and left the area through a whole in a fence.

Jake's POV

We arrived at the radio tower and me, Ellie, Joel, and Henry were sitting in one room and Sam was somewhere else, Joel was telling Henry about some road trip he and Tommy went on.

"Shut the hell up", Henry said.

"Dead serious. It was Tommy's birthday. That's all he wanted to do just- rent two Harley's and drive cross the country", Joel replied.

"Ah,man. I could die happy if I could just ride one around the block. What was is like?".

"It was good. Real good".

"Good? Can you believe this guy? C'mon man gimme details. Describe it.".

"You know what you two deserve a little privacy", Ellie said as she stood up.

"No,no, Ellie, Ellie, this isn't just any regular motorcycle. Okay? You get on that bad boy you feel that engine. Nothing like it".

"Oh yeah how would know?".

"I've seen it in my dreams… Vroom, vroom, vroom".

"Okay", Ellie said and left and Henry started laughing "You ain't gonna join you're girlfriend?", Henry asked me.

"Why does everyone think she's my girlfriend?", I replied.

"So she's not?".

"Hell no".

"It seemed you three had a little love triangle going on".

"Sam can take her I don't care. I know it's pretty obvious Sam is competing with me for her but I'm not even trying".

"Yeah Sam's got no chance, but you know you actually like her".

"What's the deal with that kid? He always looks like he wants to kill me".

"Get rid off the competition".

"Are going to keep going on with this subject?", I asked and Henry gave me a look that told me he was "Then I'm out", I said as I walked out the room to where Ellie and Sam were I heard Henry let out a chuckle on my way out.

"What are you scared of?", Sam asked Ellie as I entered.

"Scorpions are pretty creepy", Ellie replied.

"Losing those I care about", I said to them now just realising that I was here.

"Um.. Being by myself. I'm scared of ending up alone",

"Well you two got each other", Sam replied I then put my hand to my head.

"Sam for the last time we're not like that", I said.

"You still got each other as company".

"I guess", I said "For now", I thought to myself.

"What about you?", Ellie asked.

"Those things out there. What if the people are still inside? What if they're trapped in there without any control of their body? I'm scared of that happening to me", Sam replied.

"Okay first of all, we're a team now. We're gonna help each other out. And second, they might still look like people but that person is not there anymore".

"Henry say that they've moved on. That they're with their families. Like in heaven. Do you think that true?".

"With their families eh?", I thought.

"I go back and forth. I mean I'd like to believe it".

"I don't believe in it either but there can't be worse place", I added.

"I see", Sam replied.

"Oh..", Ellie said and took of her bag and began to open her bag 'All this serious talk I almost forgot", se then got out the toy robot from earlier and put it on the table "There. If he doesn't know about it he can't take it away", I was laughing so hard on the inside trying to hold it back "Alright I'm pooped", Ellie said as she walked to towards the door "I'll see ya tomorrow", she said and then opened it and left.

"Night lover boy", I said then exited

"You're a dick", Ellie said to me.

"I'm sorry but apocalypse or not but what fourteen year old plays with toy robots?", I replied.

"Doesn't mean you have to be a jerk about it", she said.

"I'm sorry I just find it too funny", we all then tried to get some sleep. The next morning we woke up to Henry cooking up something that smelled amazing and woke me and Ellie from our sleep the first place "Damn that smells good", Ellie said.

"Good morning", Joel said.

"Where's Sam?".

"Let him sleep in for once", Henry replied.

"Oh".

"Well if you want him to join us, you can go wake his ass up", Henry said and Ellie then went into the room that Sam was in.

"Sam!", I heard Ellie shout.

"What the hell?", Joel said in response and we all turned to see the direction of the noise we then saw Sam and Ellie burst through the door with Sam on top of her and trying to scratch and bite her.

"Shit. He's turnin!", Joel said as he ran to his bag to get his gun out but Henry shot a bullet at Joel direction to get him away from the bag.

"That's my fucking brother", Henry shouted and kept his gun at Joel.

"Screw it", Joel said and reached for his bag but it wasn't necessary I got out my knife and stabbed Sam right in the neck Ellie then pushed Sam off of herself.

"You alright?", I asked as I helped her up.

"Uh-huh. Oh my god", she said as she backed away from Sam's body.

"Sam?', Henry said and we all turned to look at him to see him crying.

"Henry", Joel said as he started approaching Henry "Stay here you two. Henry. Henry".

"What have you done?".

"I'm gonna get that gun from you okay?".

"Sa.. Sa.. Sam", Henry said aiming his gun at Joel.

"Whoa. Okay, okay, easy", Joel said backing away.

"It's your fault".

"This is nobody's fault, Henry".

"It's all your fault".

"Henry, Henry, no", Joel said Henry then pointed the gun in the side of his head and pulled the trigger.

"Oh my god", Ellie said.

Fall

We've been traveling for over a month after what happened to Sam and Henry it was now Fall and getting rather cold so got some new cloths on the way we resting for tonight around a fire it was quiet Joel was checking his bag and fixing any of his weapons and me and Ellie were just sitting there so I decided to ask Joel something remove the silence.

"So what's Tommy like?", I asked Joel then looked up.

"He's a good person most of the time has a good heart but once in a while he'll complain like a little bitch", Joel replied.

"Sounds like the complete opposite of me", I thought "So how far away are we?", I asked.

"A day or two".

"I'm gonna go clean up", Ellie said as she stood up and left.

"So what happens after Tommy's?", I asked after she was gone.

"I'm going back to Boston I don't give a shit what you do, you can go with Tommy, stay in his town whatever , Joel replied and a felt a tear go down my face because Joel was the only person I had left I he didn't give a shit about me then stood up and left in the opposite direction as Ellie "Where are you going?", Joel asked.

"The fuck does it matter to you?", I said and left and went to a nearby tree pulled my knife out rolled up my sleeve and added another cut to the my arm that was already covered in them and blood started pouring out. Emotional pain or physical take your pick.

"HELP!", I heard somebody scream in the distance "JAKE! JOEL", it called it was Ellie I then ran in the direction of the voice to see Ellie being carried down the stream by the current without thinking I jumped into the water to save Ellie fighting against the current to save her once we were close enough to ground I was able to walk and pull her up on to the ground she was shivering so I had to get her back to the fire quickly or she would get sick so I brought her back I and I got close Joel stood up and took her.

"What happened?", he asked.

"I found her in the stream", I replied he then got out a blanket and wrapped it around her.

"Alright.I going to need to get more firewood you stay here", he said and then left I then sat down near the fire and just remembered what happened before all this tears began to flow again Ellie saw it but I didn't care, I didn't care what anyone thought right now.

"Jake what's w..wrong?", she asked still shivering I ignored her and pulled out my knife and looked at my reflection "Jake you're bleeding," Ellie said as I continued to look at my reflection I then closed my eyes and raised it under my head "Jake no, don't do it", she said but I couldn't listen.

"Jake please", another voice said and it echoed in my head it was a young girls of about 8 "Jake go get out of here", it said I then realised whose voice it was it Mary's I then opened my eyes and saw Ellie grabbing the blade of the knife and trying to take it away from me she couldn't grab the handle since I was holding it I then let go of the and I saw the amount of blood coming from her hand.

"Why?", I asked her.

"Because I don't want to end up alone", she replied and more tears started coming from my eyes.

"I'm sorry", I then got out some bandages and wrapped them around her hand.

"Do you wanna talk about it?", she asked.

"Maybe later I need to think about what I'm feeling right now".


	9. Chapter 9:Decision

Author's note

Sorry for the long wait the reason is because the laptop that has the files broke and I've been trying to get it fixed but couldn't so I rewrote the whole chapter on my phone. Anyway with that said I hope you enjoy and please review.

Chapter 9 Decision

Ellie's POV

Yesterday's events were heavy on my mind Jake almost killed himself I didn't dare tell Joel because he would just flip we began walking again then I found a sign that read "Jackson County"

"Jackson County. Means we're close to Jackson city, right?", I asked.

"Shouldn't be more than a few miles from here", Joel replied.

"Ready to see dear, old brother?".

"I'm just ready to get there".

"Nervous?".

"I don't know what I feeling", Joel said and then continued walking near the river which Joel said would lead us to Tommy's place.

"What happened between you two?".

"What do you mean?".

"You and Tommy… you're not together, so clearly something went down", I said an this seemed to have caught Jake's attention he's been super quiet lately more quiet than usual.

"We had a bit of a disagreement that's all".

"Oh here we go.. so what was it about?".

"Tommy saw the world one way I saw it another".

"And that's why he joined the fireflies?".

"Yeah, your friend Marlene promised him hope. That kept him busy for awhile but just like Tommy, he eventually quit that too".

"How was it the last time you saw him?".

"I believe his last words to me were I don't ever want to see your god damned face again".

"Jeez. But he's gonna help us?".

"I suppose we're gonna find out".

"Well with or without his help, we'll get there".

"Let's just keep going", so we moved forward down the stream and saw some metal structure.

"What's that?", I asked.

"That right there is a hydroelectric power plant", Joel replied.

"A hydra what?".

"It uh uses the river's movement and turns it into electricity".

"How's it do that?".

"Look I know what it is, I don't know how it does it".

"Jake?", I asked to see if he knew but he didn't hear "Jake?!", I said this time louder.

"Huh, what?", Jake replied.

"How does this hydra- whatever work?".

"River move, movement make energy, convert energy into electricity", Jake explained.

"So how do we cross it now?".

"Give me a minute", Jake said and took a look at the place "Spin that wheel it will raise that platform then we need to get to the other one and spin that".

"Alright," Joel replied and then dived underwater to look for something to get Ellie across he returned a minute later with a wooden pallet.

"I need you to-", Joel said.

"I know I know step on the fucking pallet", i then got one the pallet and Jake got in the water and helped push me to the other side.

"Spin that wheel", Jake said as the he and Joel started swimming back to the other side, I did what he said and the other platform started moving and made a bridge for those two to cross.

"Hey be careful crossing that thing", I said.

"Sure thing", Joel replied.

"Teamwork", I said once on the other side and raised my hand for them to high five me Joel did but Jake just walked past "Really Jake?".

"What?", he replied.

"Just gonna leave me hanging".

"I didn't notice".

"You're the one always telling me to stay sharp now look at you", he didn't seem to listen though, I guess it takes time to recover from almost killing yourself. We then arrived at the gate of the plant and Joel tried to open the gate but some guards on watch towers pointed their guns at us.

"Don't even think about reaching for your weapons", I woman in her mid forties said but I ignored and got out my pistol "Tell the girl to drop her's now".

"Ellie do as the lady say", Joel said I then put our hands up.

"Please tell me you're lost", the woman said.

"We didn't know the place was occupied we're just trying to make our way through".

"Through to where?".

"They're alright", a man from inside said.

"What you know these people?", the woman asked the man.

"I know him", the man replied and then the gate opened "He's my goddamn brother", the man said revealing himself to be Tommy.

"Tommy", Joel said.

"Holy shit", Tommy said and came out to hug Joel.

"How you doin, baby brother?".

"Goddamn", Tommy said as he stopped hugging Joel "Let me look at you. You got fucking old", Tommy said and the woman from earlier showed up.

"Easy- it's gonna happen to you too", Joel replied.

"This is Maria. be nice to her, she sorta runs things around here".

"Ma'am. Thanks for not blowing my head off".

"Would've been embarrassing considering you're my brother-in-law", Maria said.

"We all gotta get wrangled up at some point", Tommy said.

"Who are these two?", Maria asked.

"This is Jake", Joel said putting a hand on him "He's my great nephew. This is Ellie I've been looking after her for someone", Joel stated.

"Why don't we bring em inside?", Tommy said.

"Yeah you two hungry?", Maria asked.

"Starving", I said but Jake remained silent.

"What about you?" Maria asked Jake.

"Huh," Jake said as he snapped back to reality.

"I asked if you're hungry."

"No thanks"

"False alarm. They're friendlies", Maria shouted "We've been dealing with a lot of raids and bandits in this area".

"It's been quiet a few days", Tommy said.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought I'd find you in Jackson", Joel said.

"Been trying to bring the plant back to life".

"We had it working before, but one of the turbines went south", Maria stated.

"We have electricity, Joel. had. We'll get it running again".

"No way", I said "You guys have horses".

"We got a whole lot of em", Tommy said.

I then walked up to one "Can I?" I asked and Maria understood what I was asking.

"Yeah, of course", Maria responded "He likes it when you pet his ears. You ever ride one?".

"I actually have".

"When have you rode a horse?", Joel asked.

"Winston, this soldier back in the zone. He gave me lessons", I explained.

"You know if you want we can take him riding later", Maria said.

"That'd be awesome", we then followed Tommy into a building.

"Maria", a voice said from Maria's radio.

"Yeah go ahead", she replied.

"We're in the control room. Steve's about to start it back up. Do you wanna come check it out?", the voice said.

"I'd rather eat with Ellie", Maria said to Tommy.

"It's my turn anyway. I'll go", Tommy replied.

"I'll come with you Jake you too, Ellie you and Maria put some food in you.", Joel said.

"Joel?", I said.

"C'mon, Ellie. Let's give the boys some space", Maria said "I'm sending Tommy over stand by", Maria said into the radio and we all separated.

Jake's POV

"This'll be the sixth time of them trying to get the turbines back on line. We've been here just a week, but it feels like forever.", Tommy said me and Joel.

"I don't know what it is about Tommy but something about him seems weird."

Me and Joel then walked over to him "Uh.. I got something for you. Last year I went back to Texas back home. Most of our stuff was long gone. Most of it", he said and reached into a box and pulled out a picture "Here", he said handing it to Joel "It's a little faded but it still looks pretty good".

"Can I?", I asked Joel then handed me the picture and I saw him and a blonde girl wearing a blue soccer jersey and was holding a trophy,

"Why do I remind Joel of her? She has blonde hair I have black, she has blue eyes I have red, by the looks of it she's into sports and if I lived in that world I wouldn't care, I'm a huge reader, an I'm a killer", I thought I then handed the picture back to Joel.

"I'm good", Joel said.

"Should've known," I thought.

"You sure? I mean", Tommy said.

"I said I'm good", Joel answered.

"Okay. Well I'll hold on to it for you", Tommy said putting it back in the box.

"Tommy I.. I need to talk to you. Privately"

"Yeah. Okay. Let me just check on my guys real quick. C'mon", he said and we walked away from the box with us following we then made it outside to a metal platform near the river "I don't know what you heard but you should see the town. We're over twenty families strong now. It was Maria and her father. They set this place with the idea of being self-sustained. We got crops and livestock. Remember how we thought no one could live like this anymore? Well, we're doing it".

"What do you do for protection?", Joel asked.

"The adults take turns guarding the perimeter. We even got an electrified fence when the plant is up and running".

"Still gotta deal with infected though, right?".

"Who doesn't? But it's the world we live in".

"Well maybe you don't have to".

"You sound like Marlene", we then entered the building with all the turbines "These two geniuses are gonna bring the plant back to life", I then walked up to the them and saw a paper on the table with their diagram of the plant.

"We think we got it this time", one of the two men said Tommy then laughed "You don't believe us?".

"I didn't say that", Tommy said.

"I'll bet you a million bucks it works".

"Sure. Make it two".

"The problem's right there", I said pointing at the paper the two then looked at it then at each other.

"Of course it all makes sense now, you're a genius", one of the men said.

"You two idiots would've been down two million", I replied "2 grown men given 1 week to fix a plant and couldn't, it takes a fourteen year old one minute", I said.

"Joel are you taking care of Einstein's kid?", Tommy asked.

"He spends a lot of time reading books on science and stuff", Joel replied.

"We'll start fixing the problem", one of the men said, we then walked through the room with all the turbines.

"Alright Joel let's talk", Tommy said and then entered a room attached to the room with the turbines.

"That's quite the crew you got here", Joel said as he closed the door behind him.

"They're good men. This place gives them a second chance. It gives all of us a second chance. So why'd you leave Boston?".

"We've been on quite the adventure little brother", Joel said as he pulled up a chair and sat on it.

"I reckon it's got something to do with that girl".

"It's got everything to do with that little girl".

"Well, go on then".

"She's immune".

"Immune to what?", Joel didn't answer he just looked at Tommy "Oh c'mon".

"Absurd I know. I really need to stop having conversation with myself in my head."

"See I know. I've seen her breathe enough spores to take down a dozen men and nothing.I wouldn't have believed it neither but I can show you".

"Alright. I'll bite", Tommy said as he sat down in a chair.

"I'll bite funny", I thought.

"Why bring her here?".

"I was supposed to deliver her to the fireflies. I the way I figured it they're your boys you finish the job, you collect the whole damn payment".

"Is he even getting payed? Did they bring the guns with them to wherever the hell they are.

"I haven't seen a firefly in years"

"But you know where they are. Now I'm not asking for much, Tommy. I just want some simple gear enough to set me on my way".

"What makes you think I'd do this for you?".

"This isn't for me Tommy. This is for your damn cause".

"My cause is my family now. You ain't talking about some walk in the park here".

"Jesus boy. Have Maria get some of your born again friends to do it".

"They got families too".

"Tommy I need this".

"You want some gear sure,. But I ain't taking that girl off your hands", Tommy said standing up from his seat.

"This is how you gonna repay me, huh?".

"Repay you?".

"For all those goddamn years I took care of us", Joel also stood up now.

"Took care? That's what you call it. I got nothing but nightmares from those years".

"You survived because of me!", Joel shouted.

"It wasn't worth it", Tommy responded, Joel then pushed him into the wall I could see where this was going and it wasn't good I then stepped between Joel and Tommy trying to hold Joel back but I knew if he wanted to Joel could easily kill but what difference did it make at this point.

"I bring you the cure for mankind and you wanna play the pissy little brother".

"Joel calm down", I said.

"You should listen to the kid. This ain't Boston. You lay your hands on me again it won't end well for you", an alarm then went off.

"What's that?", Joel asked.

"We're under attack", Tommy replied picking up a rifle "Kid you know how to kill?".

"Time to blow some fucker's heads off", I said. We then went out the room and were already were under fire in the room with the turbines. We took out all the bandits and regrouped with Maria and Ellie and she hugged me when I saw her for whatever reason then she started rambling about what happened then I shook her from the shoulders to get her to stop.

"Are you hurt?", I asked

"No, I'm fine. What about you?", Ellie asked.

"Don't worry about me", I replied we all then stepped outside listening to Tommy and Maria's conversation about taking Ellie to the fireflies Ellie then walked up to where me and Joel where sitting.

"Hey - what's all that about?", she asked.

"We'll talk about it later", Joel replied.

"Does that have anything to do with me?".

"We'll talk about it later".

"Did he tell you where the lab is?".

"We'll talk about it later", Joel said with emphasis on later.

"Why just tell her?" I thought.

"Later", Ellie said and walked away I then followed her.

"Go get her", Joel said and I unwillingly got up from my seat.

"Ellie", I said.

"Fuck you", she said.

"I'm not going to stop you from doing whatever you're doing", she then walked up to the horses and mounted one "Hey. Can I tag along?", I asked and she nodded I then got on a horse and followed her through the muddy forest into a farm house we left our horses outside and went upstairs and into a bedroom, I slammed my fist into a wall and Ellie went and sat on the bed and started reading a diary of some sort

"So what's up with you?",Ellie asked me.

"What do you think? Hell that's what. Nobody tries to kill themselves without a reason", I replied.

So what's your reason?".

"Joel doesn't give two shits about me and I have no one else left".

"Oh".

"And you? what's eating you?".

"Well I gonna be alone since you guys are leaving me and I don't know or trust Tommy".

Guilt suddenly came over I haven't felt it in years so it feels so weird.

"I.. I'm sorry".

"If you don't mind me asking who's Marry?".

"She was my twin sister, but even she's not here any more".

"Care to explain?".

"Fuck it, no point hiding told me and her to get to Joel with their dying breath so we were on our way to Boston when we were cornered by a bloater she sacrificed herself and gave me enough time to escape", I said as tears slide down his cheeks all the memories of Mary began rushing back to me.

"I'm sorry".

"Can I go with you to the fireflies?".

"How could I say no to that? How come you wanna go".

"I wanna make sure that Tess' last wishes are completed".

"Okay".

"Ellie! Jake!", Joel shouted.

"We're up here", Ellie responded. Joel then entered the room and pushed me to the floor.

"Do you have any idea how much danger you put yourself in by coming here you two?", Joel said in a very aggressive voice.

"Fuck you Joel I don't care what danger I put myself in and you don't either. I don't care how much I remind you of Sarah ", I said getting off the floor.

"Don't mention Sarah".

"I'm sorry Joel but you can't care for me one day and say fuck off the next. It's either you want me alive or not. Now I don't care what you say anymore but I'm going with her to the fireflies, because you were the last person I cared for in this damn world but not anymore so I might as well risk my life to save mankind because I have nothing left".

"Then do what you want", Joel said I then walked passed him but kicked him in the shin before I did and got a glare from him in the process.

"Try me", I said as I returned the glare and went downstairs with some tears slowly trickling down my cheeks I then saw Tommy downstairs.

"What's wrong kid?", Tommy asked with a sympathetic face.

"What kept you going before you meet Maria?", i asked.

"I knew that humanity was capable of good that's what kept me going".

"Capable of good huh", I replied and saw a group of men with the corner of my eye outside the house "Tommy we got company", Tommy then looked out the window then we ran upstairs and burst through the door of the room Ellie and Joel were in.

"Get it together. We're not alone", Tommy said Joel then walked to the window.

"Got two coming in", Joel said

"There's more inside already", Tommy said we then killed all the people in the house and got to the horses and then rode to Tommy's town "There she is. Kids'll be watching movies tonight".

"What movie?", I asked.

"Something called Savage "Tommy said.

"Where is this lab of theirs?", Joel asked.

"It's all the way out University of Eastern Colorardo".

"Go big horns. Ellie get off your horse, give it back to Tommy. I'm gonna hang on to this fella, if thats alright with you. Go on don't make me repeat myself".

"What are you doing?".

"Your wife kinda scares me, I don't want her coming after me", Joel said Ellie then gave the horse to Tommy.

"Sorry for stealing your horse", Ellie said.

"Look, come back to town. Let's discuss it at least".

"Eh, you know me. My minds all made up", Joel said as he helped me on to his horse.

"Impractical as always", I said.

"How's that?", Joel asked.

"It's almost night not safe, we should get a full night's sleep, get some gear, put some food in us and I'm sure you want to see the town", Jake explained.

"Alright fine", Joel said.

"Kid if you ever come back here know that you definitely got a place here cuz of that brain off yours", Tommy said.

"Thanks", I replied and then helped Ellie onto my horse. "Guess you're stuck with us," I said to Ellie in a quiet voice

"Wouldn't want it any other way," she replied and we rode into to town and put the horses away.

"For today the three of you can rest in this house", Tommy said pointing at a large wooden house "Dinner's in at nine at my place".

"Where's the movie happening?", I asked.

"In the centre of town at town hall. Why you wanna watch?".

"Hell yeah I do. You wanna come?", I asked Ellie.

"Sure," Ellie replied and we walked towards town hall.

When we got there we saw the movie the place was full of mostly kids a couple our age but most of them looked a lot younger there were three adults in here who seemed to be running this whole thing so we sat on some benches in front a giant white wall it looked like and we waited for the movie to start in that time . After the movie was over we took a slow walk back to our temporary house.

"I really like this place".

"Yeah me too".

"Why don't you stay?".

"What's the point?" he asked as he looked to the ground.

"You can live here safely."

"Ellie I stopped living a long time it just survival now. You wanna know what hasn't stopped me from pulling the trigger? I'm to damn scared that's why."

There was a long silence after I said that I can't really blame her how are you supposed to respond to that.

"Do you trust me?".

"With my life."

"Why do you trust me?"

"You're the only person that hasn't stabbed me in the back or died yet. Plus you've saved my ass like three times".

"Alright".

"C'mon let's get to the house", we then arrived at the house where Joel was waiting for us.

"How was the movie?", Joel asked.

"It was good", I replied since it looked like Jake didn't want to talk to Joel, Jake then walked into the house

"Jake", Joel said causing Jake to stop "I shouldn't have been such a dick to you I should've been more considerate, I now realise that I'm the only person you have left in this world. So what I'm trying to say is sorry"

"Whatever", Jake replied.

"Okay now you're being an asshole", I said "Can't you see that he's trying to make up for what he did?".

"Ever heard the saying too little too late, exactly what this is," Jake replied and then walked upstairs.

"Jake".

"Just leave him be for awhile I know that kid he'll come around".


	10. Chapter 10:University

Chapter 10 University

Jake's POV

The next day.

The next morning we woke up early to leave for the university we had borrowed two horses and some gear from Tommy and we were ready to leave.

"I'll see you round baby brother", Joel said to Tommy as he then told his horse to start going it was a long ride on horseback to get the university but we managed to keep good time.

"Okay. Let me see if I get it straight. If you mess up your fourth down, then you give the ball to the other team?", Ellie said as we arrived at the gate of the campus.

"Right that's called a turnover", Joel replied

"And if you clear the ten yards then you're back at first down?", I asked.

"First down, that's right".

"Man, it's confusing", Ellie said.

"I think I've got it down", I said.

"You just gotta play it a couple of times. It'll all make sense", Joel replied we then entered the campus.

"Probably never get a chance though", I said.

"So these place.. people would live here and just study? Even though they were all grown up?", Ellie asked.

"Yeah, study, party, and find themselves. Figure out what they wanted to do with their lives", Joel answered.

"Okay. None of these building look like a mirror to me", Ellie said while we rode through the campus.

"Well, we'll head to the central grounds. Should be able to see most of the campus from there", Joel replied. We then spotted the building there

"Hey over there. That it?" Ellie asked

"Hmm. It does look like a giant mirror", Joel replied.

"How many peopled you think are there? Fireflies, I mean", Ellie said as we entered a building to cut through.

"Reckon it takes quite a crew to run that operation".

"You think there will be other people my age".

"I doubt they're recruiting that young and if they are they probably won't useful in their main research facility", Jake explained "Why do you ask?".

"Just curious".we then entered a small building we a gate inside it when Joel went to open it Callus and Bessey, yes those were their names, got riled up.

"Whoa whoa", Joel said turning to the horses then back to the gate.

"Sounds like runners", I said.

"You two stay here. I'll go check it out", Joel said.

"Are you sure?", Ellie asked

"Yes I don't want them running off, and if you get into trouble Jake can take care of it", Joel said walking away from the gate. Joel then tried to figure out a way to turn on a generator to get open and electrical gate.

"Hey I was thinking", Ellie said when Joel returned and I opened the gate "I would've wanted t be an astronaut".

"That a fact", Joel replied.

"Yeah. Can you imagine being up there all by yourself? It would've been cool. Just saying. What about you Jake? What would you want to be?".

"I don't know never really thought about it", I said.

"What about you Joel?", Ellie asked.

"Oh.. well, when I was a kid I used to want to be a.. singer", Joel replied and me and Jake let out a small chuckle.

"Shut up?", Ellie replied.

"I'm serious".

"Sing something".

"Ah no".

"Come on we won't laugh".

"I can't guarantee that," I said

"I don't think so".

"Joel please", Ellie said but he ignored and we went out the gate and we went to a large building to see monkeys outside "Aw are those monkey?".

"Yeah, a whole mess of them".

"Unless the fireflies are experimenting on monkeys I see no reason why they are here", Jake said as the monkeys ran away at us approaching.

"That was kinda awesome", Ellie said.

"First time seeing a monkey?", Joel asked.

"First time seeing a monkey", Ellie said as we continued on "Shouldn't we have seen someone by now?".

"Uh… maybe these guys like to keep a low profile", Joel answered as went under a tunnel.

"Yeah maybe", we then approached another gate to get through to the giant mirror building.

"Alright. Let's try that gate", Joel said as he got off of Callus "I'll be right back".

"We'll be right here", Ellie said as I walked up to the gate "There it is", I said pointing at the generator on the other side of the gate.

"Looks like somebody has started using their brains", I said "But we need to get through there anyway. So how do we get to the generator?".

"Uh cut through the building", I replied.

"Bingo", I said and Joel then entered the building next to us. We waited a good five minutes for him to get out of the building .

"Joel are you okay? What happened in there?".

"More infected. I'm fine", Joel replied.

"Here- come open the gate", I said and Joel then pushed the generator to where the wire was got it working I then pushed the button to open the gate and it did actually open "You did it!".

"Yeah. Come on through", Joel replied and then got on Callus.

"Those clickers you think they were fireflies?".

"No.. no I don't think so".

"Why would they have infected so close to the lab?".

"Bill used them as a form of defence maybe they're doing the same".

"Yeah but you have to remember Bill has a few loose screws", I stated and continued through the campus with no clue as where the fireflies are "Why haven't we found anyone yet? Something's off", I thought

"No guards. No nothing", Ellie said.

"Yeah I'd expect to see someone by now. Let's get inside", Joel replied.

"You ever been to one of theses?".

"What? A university?".

"Yeah".

"No. Not as a student at least".

"Why not?".

"Uhh.. I had Sarah when I was pretty young".

"Were you married?".

"For awhile".

"What happened?".

"Okay".

"Too much?".

"Too much".

"Don't take it personally, he never told either" Jake said.

We then got inside the building and looked around for a while and found no sign of the fireflies or any life.

"Yoohoo. Fireflies. Cure for mankind here! Anyone?", Ellie shouted.

"Let's keep it down until we figure out what's going on", Joel said. We walked into a hall with a set of stairs and a table with a pile of books on it next to a box we searched through both.

"Nothing useful", Ellie stated.

"Ain't nothin here but a bunch of medical mumbo-jumbo", Joel said putting a clip board down. "Looks like they all packed up and left in a hurry", Joel said and loud thud was heard from upstairs.

"Maybe not all of em".

"Stay close", Joel said as he went upstairs and entered another hallway.

"There aren't any bodies that's good right?".

"If we find out where they went". We then opened a door to a class room and saw a shit ton of monkeys messing around with the stuff in there when we opened the door they all ran"Well at least it ain't clickers".

"Yeah. But no fireflies either. Well maybe in all that research they turned into fucking monkeys".

"Let's hope they don't turn the cure to mankind into a monkey", I said.

"Let's just keep searching we'll find something", Joel said as he looked through the room. We entered another one with a skeleton sitting in a chair with a digital recorder next to him and Joel playing and fast forwarding it to find out where the fireflies went.

"Looking for the others, they've all returned to Saint Mary's Hospital in Salt lake city. You'll find them there. Still trying to save the world. Good luck with that", the voice said Joel then stopped the recording.

"Do you know where that is?", Ellie asked.

"I know the city", Joel replied.

"Is it far?".

"It ain't close, I mean on horseback", Joel said but got distracted by a light outside the window.

"What? Fireflies?".

"Get down", Joel said and pulled all of us down.

"Who the fuck are these guys?".

"It don't matter. We know where to go. Let's get the hell outta here", Joel said as he walked out the room. We then returned to the balcony that lead to the stair someone got the surprised Joel when he was opening the door and pushed him against the railing of the balcony while I was taking care of someone else then the railing broke then Joel fell and got impaled I then climbed down using a wire to help him.

"What do you want us to do?", Ellie asked.

"Move", Joel replied.

"What?".

"Move", he said pushing us out of the way and shot two assholes coming through a door.

"Joel?".

"I'm gonna need you two to pull".

"Okay. Ready? One, two, three", Ellie said and me and Ellie pulled Joel of the ground and on to his feet.

"Just get to the damn horses", Joel said me and Ellie then covered the hallways to make sure we had a clear path.

"Joel how we doing?", Ellie asked.

"I'm fine.. I'm fine", he replied as I removed some wooden planks from a window.

"Think you can handle the window?".

"Okay", Joel replied I went through the window followed by Ellie then Joel went through the window but Joel fell on his back we then pulled him behind a table for cover from someone who came in with a gun.

"You stay with Joel, I'll flank him", I said and then moved towards the man and started firing when the man changed his attention to me Ellie shot him and vice versa, I then ran back when the guy was killed "Come on, let's move", I said as we pulled Joel to his feet.

"I'm okay", Joel said.

"You're not okay, Joel. Now fucking walk!", I shouted, I then took point through the hallways "Move it", Joel then fell on to a table, I then walked up to him "Here lean on me", I said.

"No", Joel replied.

"Then walk god damn it".

"Come on", Ellie said still taking point "There's the exit. Just a little bit more, come on", Joel then fell on to a box in the hallway and leaned on it "Joel!".

"Behind you", Joel said.

"What?".

"Ellie", Joel said and fell to the ground we turned around and saw two men coming at us we took care of them and then went to Joel.

"Joel, lean on me", I said Joel then put an arm over Jake's shoulder "Let's go".

"I swear to god, if we you out of this, you're so singing for us", Ellie said.

"You wish", Joel replied, we then walked over to the door and Ellie opened it we then went outside to see someone trying to take the horses but I shot him before he could do anything "Just get the horse".

"I'll ride with him", I said we then helped Joel on the horse and then we got on as well and we rode away from the university and it was now beginning to snow I then turned around to see if we were being followed, we weren't thankfully.

"I think we're safe now", Ellie said Joel then began to tilt to the side and eventually fell of "Joel", Ellie said me and Jake then got off to help him.

"Come on Joel. Get up. You're not dying yet", Jake said "Joel."


	11. Chapter 11:Winter

Chapter 11:Winter

Winter

Jake's POV

It was now winter snow was on the ground it was cold and life wasn't getting any better we were low on food so me and Ellie went hunting in the snow we shot a few rabbits using the bows to make sure we didn't alert any infected or hostile humans good thing we found another bow, Ellie's actually a good shot with that I'm now regretting not giving her he bow back at Bill's but what can you do now. We shot one more rabbit and tied it up to Callus we left Bessey back out a house we were occupying with Joel in it.

"Oh this won't last very long", Ellie said as she tied a rabbit to Callus.

"Shh, look over there", I said in a whisper and pointed in the distance there was a deer that would last us a lot longer Ellie then tied Callus to a tree.

"You'll just startle it", Ellie said and we then went after the deer that went into the wood, we followed it until we had a clear opening at it I aimed at the head Ellie aimed at the body, unfortunately it moved at the last second so I hit some part of it's body and Ellie missed entirely so we followed it's blood and gave it another shot and it ran off again "How are you still alive", Ellie said under her breath, once again we followed the dear and arrived at a wooden shack it's blood ran through so we followed "What is this place?", Ellie asked but I couldn't tell her we then entered the shack "Everything's cool. This place is not creepy at all".

"Do not worry it looks like it's abandoned", I replied we walked through and on the other side found the dear dead, on it's side with blood coming from it's neck, we then heard footsteps and both of us drew an arrow and pointed our bows at the direction of the noise "Come out", I said then two men came from behind a tree.

"Hello we just wanna talk", the first and definitely older man said.

"Don't try anything or we open fire on your skulls", I warned them "What do you want?".

"Um, name's David, this here's my friend, James. We're from a larger group- women, children we're all very, very hungry", the older man whose name was David said.

"Same goes for us women and children all very hungry", I replied it was technically true.

"Well ah maybe we could, ah, trade you for some of that meat there. What do you need? Weapons, ammo, cloths", David said I then looked at Ellie and she nodded.

"Got any medicine?", I asked "Any antibiotics?".

"We do back at the camp. You're welcome to follow us-", David said as he approached us.

"We're not following anyone. He can get the medicine, with no reinforcements or tricks the deer is all yours, if you do pull any tricks then I'll-", I replied.

"You'll open fire on our skulls", David said interrupting me.

"Glad we have understanding".

"Two bottles of penicillin and a syringe. Make it fast", David ordered James and Ellie then pointed her bow at him "Go on", David repeated and James then left.

"Drop the rifle", I said.

"Of course", David said taking the rifle of his shoulders and on to the snow.

"All yours", I said Ellie then picked it up checked if it had ammo then pointed it at David I already had a rifle which I took on our way to the house we were occupying.

"He's gonna be a while. You ah mind if we take some shelter from the cold?", David asked.

"Bring him with us", Ellie said we then entered a shack next to the one from then started a fire in the shack using some stones and wood.

"There. You two really shouldn't be out here all on your own", David said putting his hands close to the fire.

"We're not fans of company", I said with an emotionless face.

"I see are you two like?".

"It doesn't matter to you and if we are then one of us more likely to put a bullet in you bullet in your skull if you pull any tricks on the other", I replied.

"Okay. What are your names?".

"The fuck's it matter to yoi?".

"I know it's easy to trust a couple of strangers. Whoever's hurt, you two clearly care a lot about. I'm sure it's gonna be just fine".

"I hope so", I replied "Do I? I really only want so that we can get to the fireflies if Joel is dead it doesn't matter to me anymore", I thought and then a clicker entered the building and then charged at Ellie then David shot it twice causing it to fall and shot it one more time to finish it off.

"You had another gun?", Ellie asked.

"Sorry. Okay I'd really like my rifle back now", David said.

"No. you have your pistol", Ellie replied.

"I hope you know how to use that thing".

"I've had some practice", David then closed the door and covered the dear with a cloth.

"Cover the windows", David said as he ran near one we all then took one side of the room we took out the first wave of nearby infected "You weren't kidding you're a better shot with that thing than I am. Give me a hand with this", David said we all then pushed the a metal wardrobe it looked like in front of a window to block the infected then an runner got through a small gap in the window and tried to bite Ellie but I stabbed it with one of my knives, I know she's immune but I don't want to risk what a second bite might do to her. We then waited until there was a window where we weren't being attacked "Screw it were getting out of this room", David said as he kicked down a door in the room that lead to a narrow hallway "Come on you two", we then ran through after David "I'll block their path cover the stairs", David said and began pushing a shelf over the doorway he then broke open another metal door to get out of the room.

"Do you know where you're going?", Ellie asked.

"I've never set foot in this place", David replied.

"Oh great", Ellie said David then walked ahead of us and check round the corner of this metal object.

"It's clear", David said motioning us to follow "This way".

"Right behind you", I replied as we climbed some stairs to a second floor made of old metal that could break at any moment

"How you two holding up?", David asked.

"Don't worry about us", I answered.

"Alright. Stay close", we then jumped over something blocking the path then when Ellie jumped over it the floor beneath her broke and she landed on her back, I then jumped down to help her it wasn't much of a drop but I didn't want her to deal with infected on her own I don't know why but it felt like the right thing to do, and David can take care of himself, I then helped her up.

"You okay?", I asked.

"Yeah", Ellie replied and I helped here up.

"Come on there are Clickers here", I said and I saw David running from some above us, we then found a ladder that lead back up to the floor David was on and we were greeted by a Clicker that was about to charge at us but David shot it in the head before it could.

"You alright? Oh there you are", David said looking at us "C'mon - door is this way", David said as he lead us to the door.

"That was to close", Ellie said.

"We need to get up there", David said looking up at the next floor.

"The ladder", I said as I pointed to it "Ellie get up there and drop it to us", I said and got ready to boost her up "Move quickly", I said once she was up.

"I know", she replied, she then made her way around to the ladder and dropped it down to us David went first then I followed then Ellie we then went through a metal door that went into a wooden hallway with holes in it.

"We need to find a way outta here", David said.

"No shit Sherlock", I replied we then entered a small room with a stair to slightly higher ground and a giant metal box in the middle there were bodies all around.

"Geez. Looks like someone already fought those thing and lost", Ellie said.

"Ah, lord. I've been looking for these boys", David said.

"Don't matter. Grab their gear, we need to get out of here", I said "Crap looks like we have to hold our ground".

"Alright then get ready", David said then infected started coming in through the hallway we entered through.

"You hear that they're on the roof", Ellie said. We took care of them as fast as we could with minimal injuries then we heard a loud thud on the metal box.

"That doesn't sound good", David said.

"It's a bloater!", Ellie shouted.

"A what?".

"One of those big fucking guy".

"Oh shit", I said in absolute fear I tried to keep my distance and kept shooting at it with my rifle and threw a molotov at him every so often it then fell flat on it's stomach "Holy fuck", I said now breathing very quickly my hear was pounding sweat pouring down my face Ellie then walked up to me.

"Jake get a grip. It's okay it's dead now", Ellie said to me I then tried to calm down and wiped the sweat of my forehead.

"Oh my god. Thanks I needed that", I replied.

"Hey I think we did", David said.

"Like we killed all of em?", Ellie replied.

"Don't sound so disappointed".

"More like disbelief", Ellie replied we then walked into the wooden hallway and went up to one of the holes to see the outside.

"Listen", David said.

"No infected", Ellie stated.

"What'd I tell you?", David replied "Alright. Let's head on back. Check on that buck of ours", he said and then hit Ellie with his backhand on her shoulder.

"I still don't trust him", I thought "Then again I have trust issues". We then followed him back into the room with the dear.

"Well you two handled yourselves pretty nice back there. I'd say we made a pretty good team", David said as he sat down next to the fire from before that was still lit surprisingly.

"Psshh. We got lucky", Ellie replied.

"Lucky? No, no… No such thing as luck. See I believe that everything happens for a reason", David replied, I noticed every so often he would just stare at Ellie I couldn't put my finger on it but my gut told me that something was wrong.

"Sure", Ellie responded.

"Well that raises a lot of questions in life", I said.

"I can prove it to you. Now this winter has been especially cruel a few weeks back I ah.. I sent a group of men out nearby town to look for food. Only a few came back. They said that the others had been ah, slaughtered by a crazy man. And get this a crazy man traveling with a little boy and girl both about the same age. You see everything happens for a reason", David said we then stood up and pointed our rifles at him "Now don't get upset. It's not your fault. You're just kids. James lower the gun", David said causing both of us to turn to the door and see that James the guy from before had a pistol aimed at us.

"No way David I'm not gonna let-", James said.

"Lower the gun", David said cutting off James' sentence "Now give them the medicine", David ordered James then threw the medicine at the floor in front of us.

"The others aren't gonna like this", James said.

"Yeah, well, that's not your concern", David replied Ellie then picked up the medicine and pointed her rifle at James.

"Move the fuck out of the way", Ellie said to James and he listen she then she pointed her gun at David.

"You won't survive long out there. I can protect you", David said as he pointed at Ellie

"No thanks", I replied then we ran back to Callus, I got on first and then Ellie.

"Let's get out of here", she said and then began to clutch my winter jacket. We then returned to the place we were staying at we entered through the garage and left Callus this is also where Bessey was we then walked down some stairs to where Joel was sleeping when Ellie walked close him I then collapsed and everything was black "Jake", a distorted voice said. I then began to have strange dreams. It started with me running after my deceased sister then she stopped and turned around and turned into Ellie then she eventually went through the stages of infection until she turned into a bloater and then she bit me. I then woke up it looked like it was night, Joel was laying down next I turned my head to the right to see Ellie asleep curled up and shivering. I then took of my jacket and put it over and her shivering was less noticeable.

"Don't get attached," I mentally cursed myself "It just makes things worse."

The next morning I woke up in the same spot except Ellie was gone"Ellie?" I asked very quietly as I could hardly get the words out she then came into the room.

"Finally awake I see", she replied in a relieved voice and the sat down on the floor next to me.

"What.. happened?".

"You passed out when we got back", Ellie explained.

"Guess a bloater makes me tremble in my boots that much", I said and then began to cough very hard.

"Jake?", Ellie said as she moved towards me 'Are you okay?".

"Yeah. I don't know what's wrong with me", I replied Ellie then felt my forehead.

"You're sweating like crazy I think you've got a fever", Ellie said she then removed her from my forehead.

"Just my luck", I replied and then let out a few coughs "You give Joel the medicine?"

"Yeah I did".

When then heard voices of older men outside and got up Ellie look out the window to see.

"Oh fuck. They tracked us", Ellie said.

"I knew we should've shot them," I said in my head Ellie then walked over to where me and Joel were sleeping "I'm gonna draw them away from here. I'll come back for you two", Ellie said and then got her bag.

"Wait Ellie", I said in a weak voice "I'll go too".

"No you're too sick", I replied.

"I'm fine", I said.

"You're not fine Jake. You need to stay here and rest".

"And risk you getting killed. I don't think so. Tess said I have to look after you until we get to the fireflies", Jake said and then started couching again.

"I know but", Ellie said and sighed "Tess said I had to look after you too so stay here and rest".

"What?".

"I won't die out there I swear", I said kneeling down to Jake's level

"Still".

"I'll be fine don't worry I'm just going to draw them away from here".

"Alright. You better come back", I said and Ellie smiled in response and then kissed me on the cheek then got up and left "Why did she?", I thought after she left.

Ellie's POV

"Hey I got her", the man that grabbed me said I then stabbed him in the throat with my switchblade and began to ride away as quickly as I could while bullets were being fired over my head, I to get tried to lure them away as far as I could but then they shot Callus and we both fell to the ground. I sneaked through what looked a like a village back to Joel and Jake since they weren't there anymore but then someone snuck up on me and made pass out. I then woke up in a prison cell with someone outside cutting up a human to eat, he noticed I woke up and then left I then started shaking the metal gate to get out but it was useless.

"How are you feeling?", David asked as he walked in the room with a tray in his hands.

"Super", I replied.

"You should eat", David said passing the tray under the gate of the prison cell "I know you're hungry. You've been out for quite some time".

"What is it?", I asked.

"It's deer".

"With some human helping on the side?".

"No. No, I promise. It's just deer meat".

"You're a fucking animal", I said and then began eating.

"Awfully quick to judgement considering you and your two friends killed how many of our men?".

"You didn't give us a choice".

"You think we had a choice? Is that it? You kill to survive. And so do we. We have to take care of our own. By any means necessary".

"So now what? You gonna chop me up into tiny pieces".

"I'd rather not. Please tell me your name", David said then I pushed the tray back under the gate.

"You're so full of shit", I said standing up and putting my hands against the metal gate.

"On the contrary. I've been quite honest with you. Now I think it's your turn. Where's that friend of yours anyway?".

"None of your business".

"Look if your not answering my questions then I won't be able to convince the others".

"Convince them of what?".

"That you can come around", David replied "That you're loyal. You have heart. That you're special", David said and put his hand on mine when he said the last sentence, I then put my other hand on his then broke his finger then reached through the metal gate for the keys hanging from David's belt but he grabbed my arm and started pulling it and in the process slammed my face into the gate several times.

"Oh fuck", I said as David walked away holding his hand.

"You stupid little girl", David said walking back towards the cell "You are making it very difficult to keep you alive. What am I supposed to tell the others now?", David said and walked away again,

"Ellie", I said as I wiped some blood from my nose.

"What?".

"Tell them that Ellie is the little girl that broke your fucking finger".

"How did you put it? Hmm? Tiny pieces? See you in the morning, Ellie", David said and walked away.

Jake's POV

"Ellie?", Joel said as he opened his eyes and looked around.

"Joel you're awake", I said as I put my bag over my shoulders.

"Jake where's Ellie?", Joel asked, guess she's still more important to him, well fuck him.

"She went to lure away some people who followed us since I was sick. I was just about to go look for her".

"Let me go too", Joel said as he tried to get up.

"No, you still need to rest. I'll go get her", I replied even though I hadn't forgiven him yet I still couldn't help but care for him, he is the closest thing to family I have left.

"Alright, be careful", Joel said and I nodded in response and took Bessey out but she was instantly shot then the people that shot it ran away.

"Ellie!", I called once outside "Where is she?", I asked myself. I started looking around and some men jumped out from a house and started firing at me "Where is she?!", I shouted at them but no response so I returned fire then they started running like little bitches, I guess they were scared because of what Joel did to them at the university and what me and Ellie did to them at the Colorado mountain plaza, I then followed them through neighbourhood "Where is she?!", I kept asking, on the way "You're gonna tell me whether you like it or not", I shouted I followed them once again then one man grabbed me by the neck from around a corner and someone was coming with a machete I pulled out a knife from my belt and stabbed the guy that grabbed me in the leg and then took a pipe he had and hit the other guy in the head putting him in a dazed state I then dragged both of them into a house and tied one up to a chair and the other I started beating the other one until he was too weak to move then I went over to the guy that was tied up and sat down in front of him "Is the girl alive?", I asked the guy tied up.

"What girl?", he replied I put my knife deep inside his kneecap, he then screamed in pain, this was gonna be fun

"Concentrate right here. Or your knee is gone fuckface. The girl".

"She's alive. She's David's newest pet", he replied that last sentence made me cringe.

"Where?", I asked I then twisted the knife in his knee and he cried in pain I was trying to hold a grin back but it was becoming more difficult with his crying.

"In the town. In the town", he answered I then put the edge of the knife's handle in his mouth I then pulled out a map of the area.

"Mark it on the map and it better be the same place your buddy over there points to", I said as I moved the map closer to the knife, he then marked it and dropped the knife from his mouth I then picked it up.

"There you can go verify it. I ain't lying", he said I then stabbed him in the throat I then took out Bill's baseball bat and walked over to the other guy.

"Fuck you man. He told you what you wanted. I ain't telling you shit", the other guy said.

"That's fine, fortunately for you I believe him", I said and then crushed his skull with the bat. I then went into their town to where Ellie should be, in that building I found her backpack that building then some bodies hanging from the ceiling "Shit where is she?", I asked myself I went out a different door and saw a building on fire "Oh no. Ellie", I said and ran towards the building and saw David on top of Ellie and Ellie the grabbing a machetes cutting him up with a it I then went to Ellie and pulled her away but she didn't seem to notice it was me and cut me near my lip with the machete but I didn't care "Ellie it's okay now I'm here", I said trying to comfort her.

"He tried to", Ellie replied and then started crying.

"I know it's gonna be alright", I said and in that moment I felt horrible for all the shit I gave her and wanted I wanted to make David suffer if he wasn't dead. But I had more pressing things to take care of ,we were in a burning building I can comfort her later i then let go of her "We need to get out this place is on fire", I said and Ellie nodded we then left the building leaving David's body to burn to ash"Serves you right fucking bastard."

When we returned I found that Bessey was gone she must of snuck out the garage door with me and I didn't notice we went through the house to see Joel leaning on the counter of the kitchen Ellie than ran up and hugged him in.


	12. Chapter 12:Fireflies

Chapter 12 The fireflies

Spring

Jake's POV

Spring had finally come along it was alot warmer now and we back on the road again and we had just got into Salt lake City where the fireflies were. Hopefully. Two other things were on my mind. Ellie was a lot more distant and quite she wasn't her usual curious self. My guess was it was David, that fucking bastard, if I got there just a little sooner I would have made him suffer worse than hell I would've... Calm down Jake, no point now. Also Ellie's swing with the machete left a scar that went straight to the right of my lip, she apologised over and but I didn't care. Scars were nothing new to me. The other thing on my mind was five words that kept playing over and over in my head. Do I or don't I?

"Ellie", Joel called "Ellie".

"What?", Ellie replied.

'Did you hear me?".

"No".

"Look. Hospital. This is where we get off. Let's go kiddo", Joel said and we then started walking down the road.

"Heh, you feel that breeze? I tell you two on a day like this, I'd just sit on my porch, pick away at my six-string. Yeah once we're done with this whole thing. I'm gonna teach you two how to play a guitar. Yeah I'd reckon you two would like that", Joel said.

"Yeah", I replied simply "A guitar eh? Never thought I'd touch an a musical instrument ", I thought

"What about you Ellie? Ellie I'm talking to you", Joel said.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure that sounds great", Ellie replied.

"Maybe she's still in shock over what happened with David", I thought to myself so I tried to talk to her "You okay?", I asked.

"Yeah", she said in a quiet voice.

"You don't sound okay," I replied "Like I'm one to talk," I thought.

"Maybe it's the dream I had yesterday that's bothering me".

"Care to share it".

"So I'm on this big plane full of people. And everyone is screaming and yelling cause the plan's going down. So I walk into the cockpit, open the door but there's no pilot. I try to use the control but.. I obviously have no clue how to fly a plane. And right before the crash I wake up. I've never been on a plane. Isn't that weird?".

"Well those are dreams for you."

"Look at that, another city another abandoned quarantine zone", Joel said he then climbed on top of a bus to get over a gate it slammed into "There's that hospital the firefly mentioned. C'mon kiddos", Joel said and jumped over the other side of the gate from on top of the bus there was another gate but this one had no way of getting over so we had to cut through a building with a second floor that lead back outside we had no way of getting to that floor but there was a ladder there and we could boost someone up there, so Joel boosted me up I dropped down the ladder and Joel told Ellie to go next but she was sitting on a bench there so Joel tried to talk to her

"You okay?", Joel asked.

"Yeah fine", Ellie replied simply.

"You just seem quiet, like Jake quiet", Joel said.

"Fuck you too", I said.

"Come on the ladder", Joel said motioning Ellie to climb up. Joel then boosted me and Ellie up and I then went to get the ladder.

"Oh my god", she said then ran further into the building I then dropped the ladder to Joel and followed her without thinking. "Come on you two she said running through the hallways off the building we then made it to a room with a hole in the wall with leaves growing on that wall and a giraffe eating those leaves, Joel then caught up and walked up to the giraffe "sshhh don't scare it".

"I won't.. I won't", Joel replied then pet it on the neck "C'mon you two", Joel said motioning us to come over and we also pet it's neck.

"Hey there", Ellie said as she pet "So fucking cool", Ellie said as she stopped petting it and it the left "Aw.. where's it off to? Here, c'mon. Let's go", Ellie said and then ran through the building again and I followed.

"Slow down kiddo", Joel replied.

"Come on. Hurry up. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon", Ellie said running as fast as she could through the building we then made it to something that resembled a balcony where we had a clear view of all of them "Oh man.. wow. Look at those things", Ellie said we all then leaned on what would be the balcony's railing.

"So is this everything you were hoping for?", Joel asked the same question as when we got our first view of the capitol building.

"It's got it's ups and downs but you can't deny that view though", Ellie replied with pretty much the same answer as last time.

"Do I or don't I?" the same question repeated itself and planned on bugging me for the rest of my life Joel then walked over to a door leading back into the building and waited for us to follow.

"We don't have to do this. You know that right?", Joel asked Ellie

"What's the other option?", Ellie asked.

"Go back to Tommy's. Just be done with this whole damn thing".

"After all we've been through. Everything I've done", Ellie replied and then took a deep breathe "It can't be for nothing", Ellie said and then walked through the door with Joel following I then touched my left forearm and then followed "Look, I know you two mean well.. but there's no half way with this. Once we're done, we'll go where ever you two want. Okay?".

"Well we ain't leaving without ya, so let's go wrap this up", Joel replied and it was so true we then got out into a field with some medical tents outside "Well this place takes me back".

"How so?".

"It was right after everything went down I ended up in a triage just like this. Man, everywhere you looked, you just.. saw families torn apart. The whole damn world seemed to have turned upside down in a blink".

"Is that after you lost Sarah?".

"Yes, it was".

"Families torn apart eh", I said there was quite a bit of silence afterwards then Ellie walked up to Joel and opened her mouth.

"Hey, Joel I got something for you. Here. Maria showed this to me and I uh.. I stole. I hope you don't mind", Ellie said and pulled a photograph from behind her back and gave it to Joel it was the photo of Sarah and Joel with Sarah holding a trophy while in a soccer t-shirt, Joel then put the photograph away.

"Well, no matter how hard you try, I guess you can't escape your past. Thank you", Joel replied.

"I never got to ask before but back in Boston you said I reminded you of Aunt Sarah. How is that?", I asked.

"You two have a similar sense of humour, you're both readers", Joel replied.

"So you're telling me she's an asshole?"

"At times".

"I like her already".

"I'm sure you two would have got along nicely"

We then entered a tunnel that was partly flooded in shallow water it also had an infestation of clickers and bloaters"Oh no", I said when I saw a bloater in the distance "Calm down it'll be fine it's just a bloater it's like other infected just fat", I thought to myself. We managed to get through the infected but there was the back of a truck blocking us from going further through the tunnel, but there was a crate on it so Joel boosted me up on the back of the truck and I dropped the crate down so that Joel and Ellie could get up and over. The other side of the tunnel's water was deeper but there ground to stand on above water along the side of the tunnel.

"Hey that's what we can once we're done", Ellie said.

"What's that?", Joel asked.

"You can teach me how to swim".

"You got it". We then made it through the tunnel until the water got really deep so we had to walk across some floating air vents and a bus of all things then when Joel landed his fat ass on the thing it started moving then when he tried to climb on to a platform next to the bus the door of the bus he was standing on collapsed and he was inside the bus Joel was then pushed to the back of the bus by the water in the bus so we tried to get the back door open me and Ellie then jumped on to the bus to help Joel.

"Move out of the way of the door", I said they did as I said, I then got the baseball bat from Bill's out and broke the glass of the door and tried to pull Joel up but then the bus tipped over on it's side and all of us were under water I then swam towards Ellie who was being pulled away by the current I then pulled her out of water and waited for Joel because I had no fucking clue what to do, Joel then arrived and tried to get the water out of Ellie then two soldier arrived and pointed their guns at us.

"Hands in the air", one of them said.

"Shit why now?", I thought

"She's not breathing", Joel replied I did as they said but kept looking back and forth between Ellie and and the soldiers.

"Hands in the fucking air", the same soldier said.

"C'mon Ellie", Joel said the soldier then hit Joel in the head with his rifle and fell into the water.

A few hours later.

Joel was lying in a bed in the hospital and me and Marlene I think her name was were sitting nearby with a guard close by.

"Welcome to the fireflies", Marlene said when Joel woke up "Sorry about the. They didn't know who you were".

"And Ellie?", Joel asked.

"She's alright. They brought her back. You came all this way. How'd you do it?", Marlene asked.

"It was her", Me and Joel said at the same time.

"She fought like hell to get here. Maybe it was meant to be", Joel said and got out of bed and me and Marlene got out of our seats.

"I lost most of my crew crossing the country. I pretty much lost everything. And then you two show up and somehow we find you just in time to save her. Maybe it was meant to be", Marlene said.

"Take us to her", Joel requested.

"You don't have to worry about her. We'll take care of-"

"We worry. Just let us see her. Please."

"Guess he can read my mind", I thought.

"You can't she's being prepped for surgery".

"The hell you mean, surgery?".

"The doctors tell me the Cordyceps, the growth inside her has somehow mutated. It's why she's immune. Once they remove it, they'll be able to reverse engineer a vaccine. A vaccine".

"So you're telling me your crew of supposed doctors and scientists, figured that out in a few hours, have the necessary working tools to create a vaccine and are going through with it despite it killing her. And they don't even know if it'll work or not," I thought since if I said I might get shot.

"But it grows all over the brain".

"Yes, it does".

"Find someone else".

"There is no one else".

"Do I or don't I," the question making it's return.

"You are gonna show me-", Joel said but was cut off by the guard hitting him in the back of the knee.

"Stop. I get it. But whatever it is you think you're going through right now it is nothing to what I have been through. I knew her since she was born. I promised her mother I would look after her", Marlene said.

"Then why are you letting this happen?".

"Because this isn't about me. Or even her. There is no other choice here".

"Yeah.. you keep telling yourself that bullshit",

"March him outta here. He tries anything, shoot him", Marlene said to the guard then took a deep breath "Same goes for the boy. Don't waste this gift you two", Marlene said then left.

"Fuck you too", I thought.

"Come on", the guard said in a quiet half polite half commanding voice my guess is because he's thankful for the man that brought him the cure to humanity but he also has orders to kill if necessary "I said come on", guard repeated now aiming his gun at Joel, Joel listened this time and walked towards the door behind me "I said move", the guard said hitting Joel on the back Joel then looked at him "Gimme an excuse".

"Which way?", I asked the soldier then pointed left and we walked in that direction I saw our bags but we had to walk past them because of the guard I then ripped of a chain around my neck and unsheathed a knife and put it in my right hand I then raised my left arm moved my hand to the right telling Joel to move himself to the right slightly when he did I quickly turned around and threw the knife in the guard's right arm, which was the one he was using to hold his pistol Joel then took his pistol and pinned him against the wall with the pistol pointed it into the guard's stomach.

"Where is the operating room? I ain't got time for this", Joel said and put a bullet in his stomach "Where?".

"Top floor, far end", the guard replied Joel then let him go and the guard fell to his knees and then shot him in the head, normally torture would make me start laughing my ass off but I didn't get any kick out of this all it's weird. I took my knife and my bag and Joel took his bag and we started making our way to the operating room.

"Thanks Mum", I thought to myself. We made it to the operating room just in time it looked like they hadn't started yet.

"What're you doing in here?", one of the doctors asked and then ran to get a knife it looked like "I won't let you take her. This is our future. Think of all the lives we'll save".

Do I or don't I.

I then pulled out my pistol.

"Do it," a voice in my head said and I shot all three surgeons.

I didn't want to kill them they're innocent they just want a better life but I have to so I can save Ellie. Joel then picked Ellie up.

"You cover me", Joel said to me and we ran towards the elevator and pressed to go to the ground floor and then waited for the door to close and take us down but it took us to the parking lot and it wouldn't work anymore, we then got out and saw Marlene pointing a pistol at us.

"You can't save her", Marlene said "Even if you get her out of here then what? How long before she isn't torn to pieces by a pack of clickers. That is if she hasn't been raped and murdered first".

"What the fuck makes you think we'd let that happen?", I asked.

"I can understand that you two care for her but this could save so many lives".

"That ain't for you to decide", Joel answered back.

"It's what she'd want. And you both know it".

Do I or don't I.

Do I or don't I.

Do I or don't I.

"You can still do the right thing here", Marlene said talking one hand off her pistol "She won't feel anything", Marlene then started walking close to Joel I didn't like it where it was going I didn't care if it got me killed anymore.

"Wait", I said.

Joel's POV

I was driving the a car I found in the parking lot away from the hospital and away from Salt lake city with the intent of getting to Tommy's and start a normal life, as normal as life can get. I couldn't shake the feeling of what I've done, humanity could be restored and we damned the world, but she's more important than this damn world, Ellie then began to wake up.

"What the hell am I wearing?", Ellie asked.

"Just take it easy.. drugs are still wearing off", Joel replied

"What happened?", Ellie asked.

"We found the fireflies when you were passed out, they said there are others out there that are immune. It ain't done a damn bit a good either, so they made sure you fine after you passed out in the water then let us go.", I explained "I'm taking us home. I'm sorry".

Jake's POV

"Wait", I said Marlene and Joel then both looked at me I took one of the knives that were hooked on my belt and threw it right in Marlene's stomach Joel then put Ellie in a car in the parking lot I was about to finish Marlene off.

"Wait. Let me go please kid", Marlene said.

"As much as I wish I didn't have to kill you, you'd only come after her", I replied and then put a bullet in her forehead.

We then reached the Jackson area but the car had broke down near the town both Ellie and I were feeling our forearms I knew why Ellie was feeling her's but she didn't know why I was feeling mine, I felt like I made the worst decision for humanity but the best for the three of us and it wasn't a good feeling. Joel then put the hood of the car down and came around the car.

"Looks like we're walking", Joel said and we both got out the car and closed the door of the seat we were sitting in, we then began walking "Should be a straight shot through here. It's actually kinda pretty ain't it?".

"Yeah", Me and Ellie said in unison we then cut through a rather nice looking forest it made me feel a little bit better.

"Don't think I ever told you two but Sarah and I used to take hikes like this. I think ah I think the three of you would've been good friends. Think you two really woulda liked her. I know she woulda liked you".

"I bet we would've", Ellie replied.

We were then in view of Tommy's town and it looked real nice, I was really looking forward to having a somewhat normal life now we just had to go down a hill and we were at Tommy's"Wow nice work ", I thought.

"Hey wait", Ellie said causing me and Joel to turn around and look at Ellie "Back in Boston back when I was bitten I wasn't alone. My best friend was there and she got bite too. We didn't know what too do. So she say let's just wait it out. Y'know, we can be all poetic and just loose our minds together. I'm still waiting for my turn".

"So am I", I thought.

"Ellie-", Joel said.

"Her name was Riley and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then it was Sam", Ellie said the mention of the last two names brought two different emotions.

"None of that is on you", Joel replied.

"You don't understand".

"Me and Jake have struggled for a long time with surviving. Now no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for. Now I know that's not what you want to hear right now but it's-", Joel said.

"What was I fighting for?", I thought.

"Swear to me. Swear to me that everything you said about the fireflies is true", Ellie said cutting off Joel.

"She knows, I can't lose her too", I thought and then looked into her eyes it felt impossible to lie to her "I swear", I replied with an emotionless face.

"Okay", Ellie responded we then climbed down the hill to Tommy's.

"Hey Joel", I said.

"Hmm", he replied.

"Could you give us a minute?".

"Sure but don't take too long", Joel replied and then went further down the hill I then turned to face Ellie and she did the same.

"What is Jake?", Ellie asked me and I took a deep breath.

I began fumbling with my finger since I didn't know what to say I then turned around and thought for a second"Ah how do I say this. I think you'll get it if I show you", I said then rolled up my sleeve and showed an old infected bite.

"When?", is all Ellie could get out.

"A couple of years".

"Why didn't you tell me?".

"I thought no one would believe me and probably shoot me I didn't tell anyone-", I replied but got interrupted by Ellie kissing me on the lips, I didn't know what to think or say.

"Sorry", Ellie said after she pulled away.

"For what".

"So what now?".

"We'll figure it out".

"Okay", Ellie replied and we then walked down the hill to catch up with Joel. I used to question is life worth living even though this sounds perverted but at that moment I realised it was so worth it.


	13. Chapter 13:You're more important

Chapter 13:You're more important

Winter, Colorado Mountain Plaza

We got into a shop in some kind of mall desperately searching through draws inside for something to stop Joel's bleeding, I was scared and I didn't know why I rarely ever got scared I was really scared. Eventually I found some tape so I ran over to Joel and taped one of my spare cloths from my bag to Joel wound.

"That should by us some time," Ellie said but we didn't have much time I knew we needed to get something to properly stitch him up.

So this is what fear feels like.

"Come on," I said as I went towards the exit of the shop and lifted up the garage door "Go," I said to Ellie and she went under I then turned back to Joel "Don't die."

Ellie then locked the shop with the key that we found "Now where the fuck do we go?" Ellie asked but I couldn't answer because I didn't know myself, I put a finger over my lips to tell her to stay quiet for obvious reasons. We went up to the next floor and heard the sound of metal being hit which wasn't a good sign.

5 years ago

SMASH

"You lose again," I said to my twin sister as I put my slingshot in pocket and she just looked at me with an annoyed face.

"Alright you win funny eyes," she replied she always jokes about my weird eye colour but I know it's just a joke, that was one of the most obvious differences between us she had a normal brown instead of my weird red, we had the same hair colour so I that was another normal thing as well "Wanna go annoy up Bill?"

"Sure," I said and we began walking away from the pile of broken pots we made.

"Hey come here you two," someone shouted at us and we turn to see our brown haired dad, no he doesn't have weird eyes, walking towards us he then kneeled down to our height "Me and your mother have to go out of town for a day or you two be ok?"

"Sure," I replied.

"Alright, don't annoy Bill too much," he said and me and Mary looked at each other and then smiled and dad then walked away.

"Well now what do you wanna do?" Mary asked.

"I got one idea."

"What?"

"Follow me."

We saw a shop called Weston's pharmacy which Ellie felt the need to read out call me paranoid but I told her to stay quiet, I don't want to risk being heard by anything. Great my over cautiousness is back, thought I was over that. We entered the shop and searched the shelves to find nothing but empty bottles, Ellie then found a note saying the pharmacist had been locked in the shop next door, I thought he'd have something so we decided to check it out to find it filled with spores so I put my gas mask on not that I needed it but I didn't feel like answering any question Ellie might have on the subject. We then found the pharmacist as an infected stuck to the wall producing spores, I hope this whole immune thing is a forever thing, because I don't want to end up like him. I searched him and found the key but he fell from the wall which scared me a bit.

"Fucking thing," I remarked. We walked to the exit only to hear a clicker outside, I put a finger over my lips again as I got ready to knife it in it's throat, when the blade connected with it's throat it let out of a few screeches then dropped dead. We got back to the pharmacy opened up the back room and rushed over to the medical kit only to find it empty "No," I said then kicked it out a window, I then noticed a military helicopter "Let's check it out, bound to have something," I said.

"When did you did you learn how to do that?" Mary asked as I continued picking the lock of a room in our house.

"Bill taught me a few weeks ago," I replied and the lock finally opened we then entered the room to see things covered up with sheets and dust "Well this stinks. not what I was expecting," I said then walked up to a drawing pad left on a table I lifted it up and let dust fall off of it and looked at it more closely "Is this dad?"

"Looks like it," Mary replied "You got his brown hair, the blue eyes, it's probably him."

"I guess mum drew this," I said and flicked through the rest of the drawing pad only to find it empty.

"Come on let's keep going," she said as walked further through the room.

We went down to see the path to helicopter blocked by an electric gate and there's no power, thank for nothing military, we then followed the cables and saw a small cat which scared Ellie, I smiled a bit not because of Ellie but because the cat reminded me of something. But I shouldn't remember anymore. We entered the room with the generator to see it flooded with water thank god it was shallow otherwise it'd be a problem for Ellie. The generator was out of juice which was fucking great so we had to get some from one of the trucks nearby good thing there was something we can do that with nearby, we then heard some stalkers so I took out my pistol. We then knifed all of them then went back to looking for gas, we finally found some in truck "How does this work?" I asked myself,I got the hose out and put it into the oil tank and then started sucking the gas out of it I then started spitting out the oil that went in my mouth.

"You okay?" Ellie asked.

"Fine," I replied simply I then put the other end of the hose in the container and waited for the container to fill up then we went back to the generator. We got it working but one of the power cables fell into the water demonstrating what it does on some Stalkers, the electric water now blocked our way out so we climbed up to the air vents to try and find another exit. We made it over to the door on the other side of the room only to hear a shit ton of infected. We got through back to the main area which lead to the helicopter, I don't know how the fuck it's still on top there but there's was only one way to get there and it was jump from some kind of glass ledge, so I did followed by Ellie the helicopter tilted on whatever it was on but didn't fall luckily.

"Wonder why they locked this room?" my sister asked.

"Who knows," I replied as I looked around the room then I saw something covered with a sheet and dust, I walked up to it and pulled the sheet off and all the dust spread into the air, I started coughing because of that and tried to get the dust away. I then locked at what the sheet was covering and I had no idea what it was, it was made of wood and had some black and white buttons, I think, on it "What's this?"

"Oh I think it's called a Piano," Mary replied.

"So what does it do?" I asked and then pressed one of the and it made a noise I never heard before.

"That," she responded "Dad always talks about how much mum was into music."

"Yeah," I said I then felt something touch my leg I looked down and saw a black and white coloured cat I then kneeled down and picked it up and started stroking it "Hey there."

"Too bad it's owners died."

"Yeah."

"Come on let's keep looking," Mary said so we walked through the large storage room."So now what?" I then came across some large case.

"Oh so that's where she put it," I said as I began opening the case and pulled a large wooden instrument. A violin.

"Do you still remember how to play?"

"A little," I replied then plucked the E string but the sound was horrible "Out of tune. Mum never taught us how to tune violins," I said then put it back in it's case and put it back where I found it.

"Come on let's go," Marry said and we then left the house.

"Hey there you two," someone said and I realised who it was, Frank, I turned to see him and saw his stupid blue shirt with flower patterns on it.

"Hey Frank," I replied, me and Mary were okay with Frank he wasn't as bad as Bill but when he get's mad it isn't pretty.

"You two doing okay."

"Yeah we're fine," Mary replied

"You two stay out of trouble, Bill's in a bad mood" Frank said and me and Mary then looked at each other.

"Bad mood?"

"Ok worse then usual."

"Alright," I said

"Well I gotta run see you guys later."

"Bye Frank," we said at the same time.

I then saw a medical kit of the floor I picked it up and put it in my bag "Let's go," I said and we then jump out the other side of helicopter and we were back on stable ground.

"Run," an unknown voice said so we took cover, there weren't many people in this world that didn't want to kill you on sight and I wasn't taking any chances, I then saw a man get tackled by a clicker and drop his bow, I reached over to it and handed it to Ellie, she didn't take it at first but then after I gave her a reassuring nod she did. The clickers were then shot dead by some more men who appeared from the same area as the now dead guy.

"What the hell are we doing here? Who gives a fuck about an old man and two kids?" one of the men asked. So they're from the university.

"Yeah, the sooner we find them the sooner we get outta here. Make sure the area's clear," another man replied.

"The only thing you're going find are your friend's dead body," I thought to myself. We made our way past into an air duct with a trail of blood in it and saw a guy with his arm ripped of and a wound in his gut.

We were now in a shop with both in infected and people hunting us down so I threw a brick at the people which made the infected kill them, then we shot the infected.

We made it back to the area where Joel only to find a shit ton of people trying to break in because the horses were making too much noise. We killed all of them then made it down to the garage door but some shot at us, and missed, we had to kill more guys who attracted infected which we also killed.

We got inside and I went over to Joel straight away took out the medical kit from my bag then the stitches, I closed my eyes then took a deep breathe.

"You're not joining them.. yet," I said to myself and then began stitching Joel wound.

A few hours later

It was dark now Bill and Frank had went to bed already but me and Mary were still awake, not because we were worried but we weren't really tired. I then heard the door to the house open we both got up and went to the door and then saw our parents both loaded with with weapons for obvious reasons.

"Hey what are you two still doing up?" mum asked with a bit of her Bengali accent showing.

"We aren't tired and it's not that late," Mary replied.

"Was there any trouble while we were out of town?" dad asked.

"No it's been quiet," I said.

"Okay. Umm we need to talk kids," dad said in a serious voice which I didn't like because he never really does that.

"Okay," I replied and we all then walked into the living room and me and Mary sat down on the couch "Do you remember what you're supposed to do when someone gets bitten?"

"You're supposed to kill them," I said.

"Why is that?"

"Because they're not going to be people anymore and if you don't we'll probably get bitten," Mary replied.

"Right, well the reason I'm asking you this is because on the way back here… we both got bitten," dad said and I started crying and so did Mary.

"Please tell me this is a nightmare or them just joking," I thought because I couldn't say anything.

"I know this is a lot for you two but just listen. We think it will be best if you two go find Joel and stay with him, so what I want you to do pack your backpacks with amo, cloths and health packs then tomorrow follow the highway outside the town's main gate and it will take you to the Boston quarantine zone once you get there there's a small hole in the ground of to the left side that smugglers use go through there and look for Joel. You two remember what he looks?" dad asked and we both nodded with tears still falling down our faces "And you know how to shot?" he asked and we nodded again both our parents got out their pistols and handed one to both of us, mum then pulled out a sheathed knife that was connected to a chain.

"I know Bill has taught you how to use these properly so here," she said as she handed me the knife, I then put it around my neck. Dad then reached into his backpack and brought some things out.

"Here's some health packs and amo for those gun," he said we both took them from him and put it down next to us "I'm sorry about this but I know you two will able to do this and," dad said. "We're sorry that this had to happen. Life is going to get really hard now for the both of you, you're going to have to learn how to survive and you're going to have to kill. You have to be ready for anything that might come at you. Now you should kill us before we turn into a runner, you're going to have to kill anyway, so get used to it," Dad said and I slowly raised the gun that was handed to me. My hand shook from my trembling body and tears continued to stream down my face.

"Be strong my children, and we will always love you never doubt that," Mum said and I began shaking even more.

"Promise me you'll look after each other."

"We promise," both me and Mary said with tears streaming down our faces. After that I finally pulled the trigger on the gun and shot both of them. Their bodies then fell to the ground and blood poured out of their heads.

My name is Jake Wilson and this is how it all started. My fucked up journey.


End file.
